SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 241 



dozen times they at last got used to it, and evidently thinking that my 

 bark was worse than my lute, utterly ignored me ; but on clapping my 

 hands loudly and whistling shrilly they were once more startled, not 

 liaving expected this change in my nianojuvres, and showed the same 

 signs of annoyance as previously. There was a plate of glass in the 

 front of their cage, so that nothing could have reached them but the 

 sound. I liave since then favoured them with several similar concerts, 

 each time with the same results. They are evidently disgusted with my 

 want of harmony. — Alfred J. Johnson, Erdington. August 10th, 1893. 



I have notes made this year very similar in effect to those written 

 ])y Mr. Johnson. My first observation was in the open at Cuxton, 

 Avhen, calling to Mr. Page who was some distance from me, a brood of 

 Vanessa nrticce became most remarkably excited. They did not fall off 

 their food plant, but threw their bodies rapidly from side to side, and 

 were evidently much disturbed. This they did each time I called. 

 Later I made the same observation on larvae of CalUnwrplia doininula 

 and Nemeopliila plantaglnis, which had been sent by the Eev. CI. M. A. 

 Hewett, and which were kept in a large glass cylinder in the green- 

 liouse. Calling to my children in the garden threw them into similar 

 excitement, but after a time, as Mr. Johnson observes with regard to ■ 

 tlie larva? of B. quercus, these also got used to it ; but after a short rest 

 the same excited condition could be readily induced.— J. W. Tutt. 



The Hybernation of Vanessa cardui. — I believe some notice 

 occurred recently in the Ent. Bccord about Vanessa, cardui hybernating in 

 tlie British Isles. I took a worn sjjecimen at Galway on April 20th. 

 —J. E. K. Allen. August 2nd, 1893. [Mr. Woolfe, of Skibbcreen, 

 lias kindly sent us larva? of this species since our note, ante, p. 170. It 

 ajipears to be excessively rare this year in Britain. — Ed.]. 



Depressaria aurantiella, n. sji. ?. — On p. 253 of this Magazine is a 

 remark by Mr. Hodges on some dark Depressarias being probably re- 

 ferable to hadieUa, " in Mr. Tntt's opinion." This is hardly my opinion ! 

 I caught a Depressaria at Deal, in 1888, very dark in colour, and marked 

 somewhat similarly to hadieUa. It Avas remarkably distinct, however, 

 in my opinion, and I had descril)ed it as a new species under the name 

 of Depressaria aurantiella, the latter l.)oing derived from the remarkably 

 distinct and striking orange-coloured palpi. Having got thus far, I 

 submitted the matter to Mr. Staiiiton. He infoniicd me that he had 

 }irevioiisly seen or heard of dark hadieUa, and he supposed tliis to be 

 line, l.)ut he owned the orange palpi puzzled him. Tlie matter has re- 

 mained liere ever since. I have not seen Mr. Hodges' specimens, so 

 cannot tell Avhether they agree with mine. I hope, however, to be able 

 to compare the sjjecimens, and Avill report further. At any rate, I am 

 satisfied that my species is distinct from hadieUa, and so far as I can 

 get material, is not any of tlie described Continental species. — 

 J. W. Tutt. August, 1893. 



XoTES ON THE Early Stages OF CERTAIN Geometrina. — Macaria 

 notata.—Oxa laid July 10th, 1891 : hatched July 23rd. Small— some 

 olive green, t)thers reddish — laid singly on outer side of muslin sleeve. 

 August oOtli. — Larva? have all spun in sawdust. First imago emerged 

 May 24th, 1892. 



Acidalia immutata. — Ova laid July 2Gtli, 1891 ; hatched August 2nd. 

 On August 30th I made the following note : — " Growing very slowl}^ ; 

 ,sit on twigs and leaves of chick\veed, with anterior segments curled up ; 



