106 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



ber that, during one summer, a very ragged female haunted the side of 

 a wood for many weeks. 



On looking through what few works I have on British butterflies, 

 and various magazines, I find very little is said about the hybernating 

 habits of this species, but most of the authors appear to assume that 

 it does. Perhaps it would be interesting to give some extracts. 



(1) Kennie, in his Conspectus of Butterflies and Moths found in 

 Britain, published in 1832, says, at p. 10, " appears in spring, the 

 middle of July, and the beginning of August, until November." He 

 calls it the " Alderman," Ammiralis atalanta, Eennie. 



(2) Stainton says nothing about the hybernation of P. atalanta, 

 but, on the contrary, he seems to assume that it does not do so. At 

 p. 22, vol. i., he remarks, " of this family (Nymphalidae) the first that 

 greets us in the spring are the hybernating Vanessae- — io, jwlyehloros, 

 and urticae (which we find in lanes, in gardens, and not unfrequently 

 in houses) ; and even antiopa, when it does appear, may be found in 

 April ... In August . . . Vanessa atalanta begins to join 

 its congeners at sucking sweets from the flowers and fruits of our 

 gardens." And after his description of the species follows the date of 

 appearance — " viii-xi." But for io be gives, " iiiA.-v//., viii-ix " ; 

 polycJdoros, " iii/i.-v/;., vii^.-viii^. " ; and urticae, " inh.-xh., vi-ix." 



(3) Newman, in British Butterflies, p. 63, says, " both sexes 

 hybernate early ; they reappear in the spring, but later than our other 

 Tanessidae ; the usual intercourse then takes place, and oviposition 

 follows." 



(4) Lang, in Butterflies of Europe, p. 177, " Times of appearance. 

 — June to October, and after hybernation in the spring." 



(5) Kane, in Handbook of European Butterflies, does not allude to 

 the hybernating habits of any of the Nymphalidae, except in the case 

 of urticae, where, at p. 61, he mentions that " the pale costal blotches 

 of fore- and hindwings are much bleached in hybernated specimens." 



(6) Meyrick, Handbook of British Lepidoptera, assumes that it 

 hybernates, as he gives " 9-6 " for its time of appearance. 



(7) Barrett, in The Lepidoptera of the British Islands-, vol. i., at 

 p. 147, for time of appearance gives, " September and October, and, 

 after hybernation, in June," and at p. 148 he writes, "It is quite the 

 latest species, with us, to retire for hybernation. I have seen it upon 

 the wing until the end of October, and even into November — though 

 this is exceptional — and, on the other hand, it is the last to reappear ; 

 hot weather late in May will sometimes bring it out, but, as a general 

 rule, it is not to be seen until June. It has then lost its familiarity 

 and fondness for gardens, and usually frequents trees ; but, before the 

 end of the month its eggs are deposited and its life is over. Although 

 so common, its favourite places of hybernation seem to be almost un- 

 known or unnoticed." 



(8) South, Complete Pocket Guide, Wayside and Woodland Series, at 

 p. 83, says, " The butterflies seen in spring, early summer, up to, say, 

 the beginning of July, are supposed to have wintered in this country, 

 but there is no positive evidence, that I can find, that the butterfly 

 does hybernate here. It is, however, most probable that they are 

 arrivals from abroad. The species is found throughout Europe and 

 North Africa, northern Asia, and North America, and it may be 

 suspected of migration, although there is, perhaps, not such conclu- 



