LIFE-HISTORIES. 



121 



with them in the autumn keep their eyes open for it now at once ? — 

 K. M. Hinchliff. Worlington House, Instow, North Devon. April 

 3rd, 1907. 



Dimorpha versicolora near Reading. — You will be pleased to 

 hear that I have again obtained a wild pairing of Dimorpha versicolora. 

 On April 6th, about 12.15 (noon), a $ emerged in my breeding-cage, 

 the first this season. I rode over to the D. versicolora ground, arriving 

 at 3.30 p.m., and placed her on a birch bush; she commenced calling 

 almost at once, and by 4 p.m. she was paired with a fine $ , and com- 

 menced depositing the same night. I have not missed getting a natural 

 pairing since finding a $ in 1896. (See Nat. Hist. British Lepidoptera, 

 iii., pp. 259, 263, and Ent. Record, xvi., p. 209).— W. E. Butler, 

 Hayling House, Oxford Road, Reading. April 1th, 1907. 



Spring Lepidoptera. — On March 31st, I saw Celastrina argiolus 

 flying in the afternoon sunshine at Oxshott. Is not this date very 

 early? I also noticed a few Gonepteryx rhamni, and quite a number 

 of Aglais urticae. About the tops of the high birch trees Brephos 

 parthenias was flying in some numbers, but was, as usual, difficult to 

 capture with a short-handled net. — J. Alderson, 143, Boundaries 

 Road, Balbam, S.W. April 9th, 1907. 



First appearances of common butterflies. — On March 24th, a 

 boy brought to me a specimen of Aglais urticae, captured on the 22nd, 

 when sunning in the roadway of the Mile End Road. On the 29th, 

 specimens of Pieris rapae and Aglais urticae were seen at Mottingham. 

 On the 31st, Pieris rapae and Aglais urticae were seen at Strood, and 

 on April 1st, Pieris rapae, Vanessa io, and Aglais urticae, at Lee. P. 

 rapae was noticed at Westcombe Park on April 2nd. Several others 

 were seen on April 3rd, by the railway between Havant and Ports- 

 mouth, whilst this species and A. urticae were the only species noted 

 at Southsea between April 3rd and 6th. The brilliant sunny weather 

 of the last fortnight seems to have brought out P. rapae, therefore, 

 everywhere south, even in our town districts, whilst the hybernating 

 Vanessids have evidently made up their minds that spring is here. 

 Perhaps the snowstorm of this morning will make them change their 

 minds again.— J. W. Tutt, 119, Westcombe Hill, S.E. April 1th, 

 1907. 



Early appearance of Euchloe cardamines. — I found a $ E. 

 cardamines on Abinger Common, on April 24th. — N. C. Rothschild, 

 5 and 6, Chelsea Court, Chelsea Embankment, S.W. April 29th, 1907. 



f )0TES ON LIFE-HISTORIES, LARY^ffi, &c. 



Egglaying and young larva of Thecla ilicis. — A female, captured 

 in the Rhone Valley at the end of June last, refused to lay ova when 

 confined in a glass case with oak-twigs, and fed ; but when, a fortnight 

 later, she was kept in a small chip box inside a hand-bag, during a 

 journey, some ova were laid therein. Subsequently, a few more were 

 laid under normal conditions of light and exposure (Mr. Tonge has had 

 one of these to photograph). The ova began to batch on the 12th inst., 

 the young larva' salmon-brown in tint, with stout bristles, taking at 

 once readily to split oak-buds. They are prone to spin threads over 

 their food, and to dangle thereon from the top of their cage. — P. M 

 Prideaux. April \9th, 1907. 



