igiS. Halbert.- r//e Convolvulus Hawk-Moth. 85 



of this moth and no such tendencies were noted, although 

 the caterpillars were surrounded with suitable materials for 

 their supposed " digging in" habits. On the contrary they 

 are lethargic showing neither a disposition to wander away 

 from their food-plants nor an aversion to daylight It 

 has been stated, however, that the caterpillar is skilful in 

 concealing itself amongst fohage, and it does not assume 

 the sphinx-like attitude so noticeable in the Privet Hawk- 

 Moth and allied species. 



A point in this life-history which will occur to the naturalist 

 is that if the eggs *are laid on the bindweed in the autumn 

 what becomes of them when these annual plants lie down ? 

 It may be suggested that the eggs are laid in the following 

 summer by moths which have survived the winter months, 

 but there is no evidence in support of the belief that this 

 moth hybernates in the imago stage. A more probable 

 explanation is that the eggs are laid on the food plants in 

 the summer by females which have survived the winter 

 as pupae. Possibly some additional light may be thrown 

 on what really does occur in these countries as a result of last 

 year's immigration. 



It has already been mentioned that this moth was com- 

 mon in 1859, and Mr. Kane says it was very numerous in 

 the fine dry summer of 1887, while it occurred in many 

 Irish localities in the years 1882, 1891 and 1892. 



The abundance last year of the common white butter- 

 flies was very noticeable. The species of Vanessa were 

 also abundant, more especially the Peacock Butterfly 

 [Vanessa to), and hybernated specimens of this insect duly 

 made their appearance in the spring. It may also be of 

 interest to record the occurrence of the Clouded Yellow 

 (Colias edusa). I saw a fresh example of this beautiful 

 butterfly flyirg over the sandhills at Malahide, at the end of 

 August. In endeavouring to account for this abundance of 

 lepidoptera during the summer and autumn of last year 

 it should be remembered that the previous winter was 

 prolonged and fairly dry ; it was also colder than usual, 

 at least in the British Isles. Such conditions often herald 

 a " good " insect year. 



National Museum, Dublin. 



