262 Shoi't Communications : — 



Cynthia cardui, is a point which entomologists have hitherto 

 been unable to account for. Experience shows that it does 

 not depend on the warmth and fineness of the summer, nor 

 on the mildness of the preceding winter ; nor can it be satis- 

 factorily attributed to any known cause. As, however, these 

 two allied species, C. Edusa and Hyal^, are both subject (as 

 already said) to similar irregularities in their appearances, it 

 might be expected that the same circumstances (whatever 

 they may be) which prove favourable to a copious flight of 

 the one, should also be alike favourable to that of the other. 

 This, however, appears not to be the case. In the year 

 1831, when I happened to be resident at Dover, in August 

 and September [see V. 330.], C. Edusa was to be met with 

 in tolerable abundance ; very many specimens were seen and 

 captured ; in short, it was considered (as I was informed) 

 a more than usually good season for the insect in that neigh- 

 bourhood. No specimens, however, of C. Hyal^ (so far as I 

 am aware) were taken or seen in the district that year, save one 

 in the possession of Miss Harvey, captured in the month of 

 June. Again, the seasons of 1832 and 1133, in which so 

 many specimens of C. Hyak were met with, did not (as I am 

 informed) produce a corresponding abundant supply of 

 C. Edus«. Miss Harvey speaks of having seen only two 

 examples of this insect in 1833, and of Mr. Le Plastrier 

 having taken several between Dover and St. Margaret's in the 

 end of September. She also mentions that Cynthi« cardui 

 appeared at Deal in the first week of October, in greater 

 abundance than she had seen it for five years. This insect 

 was also plentiful about Dover in the autumn of 1831. In 

 Warwickshire I have not seen a single specimen of C. cardui 

 during the present autumn. 



These periodical appearances of particular insects are cer- 

 tainly curious. Should the above remarks attract the attention 

 of your readers, some may, perhaps, be able to throw more 

 light upon the subject. All that I have to offer is a bare 

 statement of the facts. — W, T, Bree. Allesley Rectory, Octch- 

 berll, 1833. 



A Profile of the Human Form is observable upon the upper 

 Side of the Primary Wings ofCblias Edusa^ female. A Profile of 

 Chancellor Brougham is observable on the Reverse of Hipparchivi 

 Janlra, — It is observed, in vol. i. p. 518. of the Entomological 

 Magazine, " that on the reverse of Hipparchia Janir« may be 

 traced a very tolerably defined profile, in some specimens no 

 very bad likeness, of the Lord Chancellor Brougham." This 

 is not very evident in the specimens I have examined. A 

 much stronger resemblance of the human profile (I do not 



