MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 253 



in chrjsalis more than eighteen or twenty days. The perfect insect is found the latter end of 

 July, or about the beginning of August. At the second brood the perfect insect may be seen 

 from the end of September to the first fortnight in October; after this period it is only occa- 

 sionally seen for a short time on very mild days — it then liibemates. Here I must pause just 

 to say that in both these broods the colour of the perfect insect, on escaping from the chrysalis, 

 is precisely the same. I scarcely know how to express this colouring, it appears to me a rich 

 velvety claret black, and the external border a rich pale golden yellow, sliglitly irrorated with 

 rich claret black; this is sufficuent for my purpose, and for obvious reasons I go no further. 

 The insect it appears then hibernates, and remains concealed under the bark of old trees, in 

 the clefts of rocks, under gables of houses, etc. ; it there passes the winter in a donnant state, 

 till the warm spring revives its energy. It sometimes becomes , so brittle from the intense cold, 

 that if you lay hold of one by its wings, they will snap like glass. Vanessa Antiopa is not 

 however aroused from his lethargy so early as some of his congeners. The earliest period I have 

 recoi'ded his appearance is the 3rd. of March, 1846; whereas I have seen Rhamni on the wing 

 in January, Jlrticm and Polychloros in February, lo on the first of March, C-album also on the 

 3rd. of March, and even fair Cardni on the 4th. of March. So j'ou see my friend Antiopa is 

 rather lazy, but j'ou know large bodies move slowly, and more especially when they consider 

 themselves personages of some note. Now when the sun beguis to shine with a certain degree 

 of brilliance, aye, and between the hours of eleven and one, gives a certain degree of heat too. 

 Fancy yourself on the border of some rushing rivulet, wliich like Antiojja, has just begun to 

 feel the influence of Old Sol, say between the middle and latter end of March, you will, if 

 you have chosen a good locality, seldom miss seeing more than one Antiopa, soaring anon 

 above the stream, slowly descend on some bit of broken rock, rising just above the flow of 

 the water, expand his noble wings, and thoroughly enjoy himself — a splendid specimen of the 

 wonder-working hand of God. The winter, however, has blanched his golden border, and ho 

 ajjpears with one of creamj' white, irrorated with bluish claret; the intense richness of his 

 mantle has also faded, and he has become bluish claret. His finely-turned border, owing to 

 its great brittleness and the boldness of his flight, is veiy much injured. In truth, I have 

 never seen an hibernated Antiopa with the external border perfect, and I have heard much 

 older and better entomologists than myself express the same thing. I have a great many 

 specimens, and one in particular wonderfully fine, but I cannot say he is perfectly faultless; 

 of my friends with the yellow border I have a great number quite blameless, as fresh as fresh 

 can be. I could fill up a whole number of your journal with a few only of the freaks of Vanessa 

 Antiopa, but I must conclude and subscribe mjself Bojibyx Atlas. 



Discovery of Acmtea testudinalis, F. and H. ; Patella (Lottia) testudinalis, Muller, on the 

 coast of Forfarshire. — After reading a communication from J. W., Aberdeen, in page 136, vol. i. 

 of "The Naturalist," my attention was directed to look out for this beautiful shell, in similar 

 situations to that alluded to by your correspondent. Accordingly in the month of April last, 

 in company ■with my friend Mr. Croall, on a short excursion along the coast, about six miles east 

 from this, and the southern portion of Kincardineshire, we proceeded to examine the projecting 

 rocks oif St. Cjtus, at low-water, and were much gratified to find this Shell pretty frequent 

 on smooth water-worn stones. Encouraged Avith tliis success, I determined on trying to find it 

 in Forfarshire if possible; consequently having fixed a day for that purpose, the first field 

 for investigation was the projecting rocks between the point of the Ness, at the mouth of our 

 river, and the fishing village of Usan. I left this about eight o'clock, a. m., and while waiting 

 the return of the ferry-boat, which crosses our river to and from the fishing village of FeiTydert, 

 and it being nearly low-water at the time, I looked amongst the stones on the beach at the water- 

 side, and was very much gratified to find six specimens of the shell which I was in search of, 

 (Acnuca tcsticdinalis, F. and 11.,) and so far as I can ascertain the first ever found in Forfarshire: 

 then crossed the river by the ferry-boat, along with Mr. Brydon, who wished to accompany 

 me that day, and proceeded to the projecting rocks above specified, where we found but a few 

 small specimens. Some days afterwards, being stream tide, I made another search at the water- 

 side, where I found the first six specimens, and have now much pleasure in stating that I 

 found this beautiful shell in considerable abundance. Should any of your readers wish for 

 specimens, I shall be most happy to supply them,— A>-DnEW Kekr, Murray Street, Montrose, 

 August 17th., 1852. 



