Retrospective Criticism. 493 



fered the least pain from so doing ; and, for my own part, I 

 discredit Ray's representation of its being able to inflict a 

 wound. — James FennelL May, 1834. 



Polyommatus Argwlus. (IV. 477 — 479. 558.; V. 109. 205. 

 496. ; VI. 544.) — Enough, and more than enough, perhaps, 

 has already been said in the Magazine about Polyommatus 

 Argiolus, and the question of its being in different districts, 

 respectively, either single or double-brooded. I must crave 

 leave, however, to add one word more on the subject. I have 

 stated (IV. 477., and V. 496.) that, in this neighbourhood, the 

 insect is common in the early spring, and that it is only single- 

 brooded; while, on the authority of others, as well as 

 from my own observation, it appears that, in many other 

 parts of England, there are two broods of it during the 

 season. From a love of truth, I now feel it incumbent on 

 me to record one exception to the above rule, so far as it 

 applies to the appearance of the insect in this neighbour- 

 hood. On the 28th of August last, I took a single specimen 

 of P. Argiolus in the garden here : it was a female, and, though 

 not fresh from the chrysalis, was yet in tolerably good con- 

 dition. This must unquestionably have been an individual of 

 a second brood. It should seem, therefore, that, although this 

 species is for the most part only single-brooded in this part 

 of the country, it does nevertheless occasionally, though 

 rarely, produce a second brood during the same season. I 

 may add, that P. Argiolus was much less abundant than usual 

 in the spring of 1835 : I did not observe more than two or 

 three specimens. The collectors at Coventry distinguish this 

 little butterfly by the appropriate English appellative of the 

 " holly blue," from the circumstance of its delighting to fre- 

 quent the holly. 



I have often wondered that Pontic cardamines, an insect 

 which appears so early on the wing as the month of April, 

 should not produce with us a second brood during the sum- 

 mer, as it does in Switzerland according to Mr. Brown's List 

 of the Papilionidae of that country. (VIII. 218.) Has any 

 entomologist known an instance of this species producing a 

 second brood in England ? — J¥. T. Bree. Allesley Rectory, 

 near Coventry, Warwickshire, June 30. 1836. 



[On the matter presented in V. 768., under the name Po- 

 lyommatus Argiolus, it is stated, in VII. 532., that it relates 

 to P. Alexis. 



" Genuine insects terminate their existence after they have 

 laid their eggs, but the Crustacea live longer and lay more than 

 once." (Kirby and Spence's Introd. to Ent., iii. 9, 10. 1826.) 

 From this premiss the consequences are deducible, that any 



