210 MR. selby's observations and noteh 



house, where I expected the temperature would generally be 

 above the freezing point, and since May I had them removed 

 to a warmer situation, in the hope of seeing the perfect in- 

 sects excluded during the summer months. As this had not 

 taken place on the first of September, I emptied the pots of 

 their contents, and although the whole of the caterpillars, 

 with one exception, had undergone the pupal change, none of 

 them were alive, nor had the interior matter of the chrysalis 

 undergone any great change, the form of the moth being 

 scarcely recognisable, from which it would appear that they 

 had perished at an early period, and probably during the 

 cold of winter, during which the protection afforded had not 

 been sufficient to maintain their vitality. Two perfect in- 

 sects of this species were brought to me in September 1846 ; 

 these, it is probable, proceeded from an earlier brood than 

 the caterpillars I endeavoured to rear. I may here mention 

 that two instances of a butterfly, which, from the description 

 given me, must have been examples of Vanessa antiopa, were 

 observed in this neighbourhood ; if correct, it is the first 

 instance to my knowledge of their appearance in this lo- 

 cality. 



In September, the common diurnal Lepidoptera became 

 plentiful, such as the different species of Pontia, Vanessa urti- 

 coe, Atalanta, and lo. Several examples of Cynthia cardui 

 (Painted Lady) were also observed; and of the NoctuidcB 

 and Geometridce, the supply of the species common to this dis- 

 trict was about the usual average, judging from the numbers 

 which resorted to the boles of the trees anointed with honey 

 or syrup of sugar. 



I append to the foregoing the mean temperature of the 

 various months of the years 1845 and 1846, and January 

 and February 1847, from observations taken at Twizell 

 House, at 8 a.m., and 10 p.m. 



