OF THE OAKS. 163 



insects were also very numerous ; especially the 

 various species of Aphis, and their natural de- 

 stroyers the Coccinellae. Among the latter, C. 

 7-punctata; — C. 4-pustulata; and C. 2-punc- 

 tata; greatly predominated. The two last are 

 considered to be distinct, and, accordingly, have 

 had different specific names assigned to them, 

 by entomological writers; but that excellent 

 botanist, and attentive observer of the economy 

 of msects, Mr. Edward Hobson, of Manchester, 

 assures me, that they are opposite sexes of the 

 same species ; C. 2-punctata being the male, and 

 C. 4-pustulata the female. Some observations 

 of my own, made since I have been in possession 

 of Mr. Hobson* s communication, had disposed 

 me to regard C. 4-pustulata as the male, and 

 C. 2-punctata as the female ; but I am now con- 

 vinced, that the colours of the sexes are liable 

 to vary. 



NOTE. 



Through the kindness of my friend Mr. Peter 

 Barrow, I have been favoured with a sight of the 

 fifty-second number of Mr. Curtis's work on 

 British Entomology, which has been published 

 since the above paper was read before the society. 



x2 



