MISCELLANEOUS KOTICES. ^ 133 



Curious Ilex's E(jfj.--1 send, in case you should deem it of any interest, a description of a 

 Hen's egg, laid in my poultry-house last year. Length, one inch 

 and one-eighth; diameter at large end, five-eighths of an inch; 

 diameter at small end, half-an-inch: the entire shell was very 

 much granulated. In blowing it, a very small quantity of albu- 

 men was obtained; on the needle being again applied, it came in 

 contact with some substance which prevented its reaching the 

 other end of the shell. I consequently broke the shcdl, and in the 

 interior found another egg without a shell, but having an exceed- 

 ingly thick and tough membrane ; so tough was it, that the needle which had pierced the shell 

 had no effect on it, nor could it be cut through but with a sharp penknife. The internal 

 egg corresponded ir. shape with the outer one, save that it was rather more obtuse at the 

 smaller end, and the albumen was of a much more solid nature. The length was one inch, 

 and the diameter three-eighths of an inch. Neither egg had any yolk.—C. M. 0. 



The Apollo Butterfly, (Doritis Apollo.)— In our last number, page 110, is a notice of the 

 occurrence of this very rare Buttei-fly, near Falmouth. Subsequent inquiries, however, by Mr. 

 Cocks, prove that the first-named specimen was purchased at Harrow, and probably is a 

 foreign one. The second was taken at Carclew, about twenty-five years ago, but was then 

 supposed to have come over in the chrysalis state, 'along with some earth containing plants 

 collected in Italy. The first specimen was exhibited in a collection of insects labelled as British. 

 We greatly regret the necessity for this notice, but we deem it far better to insert these lines, 

 than to allow a knotcn erroneous statement to remain. Sir C. Lemon's specimen may however 

 still be a genuine British one.— B. E. M. 



Oecurrenee of Vanessa Antiopa, etc., in Serivickshire.—Ohscrv'mg in "The Naturalist," for 

 May, 1851, the fact mentioned that a Locust had been captured at Lauder, Berwickshire; and 

 being on a visit to that locality a few days ago, I Avent to see a miscellaneous collection 

 formed by one of the Earl of Lauderdale's shepherds, named "Wattle Simpson," who exhibited 

 to me two specimens, which he had captui-ed on Lauder Common. He likewise shewed me a 

 specimen of the Camberwell Beauty, (Vanessa Antiopa,) and of the dark green Fritillaiy, 

 (Argymnis Aylaia,) both captured by him in that vicinity. I should feel exceedingly obliged 

 to any of your correspondents who would be kind enough to inform me of any other localities 

 in Scotland, where the Vanessa Antiopa has been seen. My friend, Daniel M. Falconer, Esq.^ 

 possesses a specimen of the Painted Lady, (Cynthia cardui,) captured by him on the wing so 

 late as the 28tli. of October.— John K. Wilson, Edinburgh, March 10th., 1852. 



Vanessa Antiopa taken near Zineoln.— As you wish to receive any information respecting the 

 rarer British Buttertiics, perhaps it may be worth while to mention that four years ago a fine 

 Camberwell Beauty, (Vanessa Antiojm,) was taken in a garden in this city; and s<!veral 

 others have been at various times seen and taken flying about the willows in the fenny 

 districts in this neighbourhood. In the year 1848, a white variety of the Common Copper, 

 (Lycccna Vhlmas,) was taken by myself in a large fir wood at Skellingthorpc, about three 

 miles from here; there were vast numbers of the ordinary red colour about, which kept inces- 

 santly fiying at the white one whenever it settled, and beating it away from the flowers. The 

 Comma, (V. C-album,) is common here in the same wood, and has two broods. — Fredeuick 

 M. BuiiTON, Lincoln, March, 1852. 



MILDNESS OF THE SEASON. 



TJie Peacock Butterfly, (Vanessa lo.)— On Monday, the 2nd. of February, inst., a gentleman, 

 on his way to Blandford, saw a specimen of this Butterfly on the wing. — John Garland, 

 Dorchesttn', February 11th., 1852. 



TJie Primrose, (Primula vulgaris.) — Several wild Primroses were gathered in flower in Mill 

 Lane, Cenie, on Wednesday, the 28th. of January last, which is much earlier than usual. — Idem, 



Note on Abraxas grossulariata. — I think it is but right, in order to confirm the assertion 

 of J. Mc'Intosh, Esq. relative to "Abraxas grossulariata," (see vol. i., page 174, paragraph four 

 of "The Naturalist,") that I do not believe a year has passed during the last ten years, in 

 which I have not had the caterpillar of Abraxas grossulariata, both in this country and on 



