NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC, 203 



3rd, the eggs laid in August hybernate as larvae. 4tli, the larvce full- 

 fed at the end of June produce imagines in July. By being " double- 

 brooded," and appearing in June and August, we should expect the 

 June-laid eggs to produce butterflies in August, but Mr. Dale tells 

 us the June-laid eggs hybernate as pupae. Secondly, that although 

 the two broods of the butterfly occur in June and August, the larvaj, 

 full-fed at end of June, produce butterflies a fortnight later, thus 

 interpolating another brood (?) between June and August. These 

 statements point very conclusively to a very inexact knowledge of its 

 life history, and on the face of the suggestion that the insect hyber- 

 nates both in the larval and pupal condition, Mr, Dale must excuse 

 us for scepticism as to his knowledge of the life history of the species. 



Hractical hints. 



The Month. — Larvas, although plentiful, are usually left in the 

 back ground this month, and all the energies of the enthusiastic lepi- 

 dopterist devoted to the collecting of " imagines," both day and night 

 producing new and interesting specimens. Tree trunks, palings, 

 fences, and walls should not be forgotten ; on lichen-covered walls, 

 Bryophda perla and glandifera may be there found in plenty. Tree 

 trunks, fences, &c. produce many of the Geometk.e. 



The great prize among the butterflies is the purple emperor, Apatura 

 iris, who, in favourite localities, may be seen soaring high over the oak ; 

 in years gone by, a net with a huge handle was employed to capture it, 

 bxit now, his majesty is known to descend, and regale his voracious 

 appetite on the (to him) luscious juices that exude from carrion and 

 stinking puddles ! where he can be easily netted. 



Lemopliasia sinapis are sometimes found this month (2nd brood), 

 but never so numerous as the spring brood. In " clouded yellow " 

 seasons, both ednsa and hyale are found in clover fields ; most plentiful 

 in the south. Variessa polychloros among elms, and on " sugared " and 

 Coss?t.s- infected trees. 



Light during this month is also very productive. — J. P, Mutch. 



OTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



The late Colias edusa year in Great Britain. — The pleasures 

 of an edusa year have again been realized by British entomologists. 

 The numerous records of the occurrence and ca^Dtui-e of the " clouded 

 yellow " and its varieties in many parts of the British Islands last year, 

 are exceedingly interesting to me. The discovery of the eggs, and the 

 successful rearing of the beautiful insect through all stages of its 

 existence in England, has also added greatly to our knowledge of the 

 species. The irruption of edusa into the British Islands at intervals of 

 years, is admitted by entomologists to be due to migration from the 

 European Continent. There is an important feature of the occasional 

 migration of edusa which has not, as yet, received full attention. I 

 allude to the cause of tlie migrations. A more interesting subject could 

 not be studied, yet it has not, so far as I know, been dealt with, 

 scientifically, by any entomologist. As there was, unquestionably, an 



