NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 213 



from the egg on lilac, did not pupate till October, and the imagines 

 appeared in November, and one as late as December 2nd. These were 

 of fair size, and there were no cripples. Although I searched well I 

 did not see a single wild specimen of P. Jiavicincta in its usual locality, 

 so that probably the wild pupa^ are lying over. On the other hand, 

 P. chi was unusually abundant, with a larger proportion of var olivacea 

 than usual. Dichonia apriVna, generally abundant, Avith many dark 

 specimens, was scarce, and there were no abnormally dark forms. 

 There were also numbers of common Nocture larvae in the gardens in 

 October, but several afternoons' beating in the woods produced nothing 



at all." Mr. A. Robinson (Chislehurst), writes on March 7th : — 



" I have some remarks to make with regard to Mr. Tutt's second pro- 

 position that " hybernating larvae must hybernate at a certain age ; if 

 they get beyond that age, they must go on to maturity or die." I 

 don't agree. When is a larva said to liybernate ? I take it the word 

 " hybernate " simply means " pass the winter in the larval state." A 

 hvbei'nating larva is hybernating all through tlie winter ; there is not 

 a definite point at which hybernation begins. Take CaUimorpha hera. 

 Those I keep in the house are rather more forward than those I keep 

 outside, but both hybernate. The warmth enables those inside to do 

 a little more feeding than the outside ones. Both nibble at odd times 

 all through the winter, except in the case of the outside ones when it 

 is very cold. Of course some larvte that h3^bernate will, with the aid 

 of careful feeding and warmth, feed up in the autumn, but have we 

 any evidence to show the effect of again exposing these to their natural 

 conditions at different periods. Mr. Tutt may have authorities on this 

 point, but if so, we want chapter and verse. The larvje that I am 

 acquainted with that will feed up in the autumn are Noctu-e (e.y. 

 Aplecta j}rasina), but I am very vague as to what proportion of the 

 Nocrr.i; it extends to. Can it be done with the Bojibyces ? Further, 

 and most important of all, does it ever occur under perfectly natural 

 conditions ? Certainly I have met with odd insects at extraordinary 

 times. I remember Mr. Bowles catching a worn Nonagria cannae at 

 Horning, about the 1st of August, when all the rest were larvaj, but I 

 don't remember ever catching a species (of which the larvi\3 hybernate) 

 in the winter or early spring. With regard to Mr. Bowles' question 

 whether the A. ridens of 1893 are still in pupa, I took a lot of larvae in 

 1893, and they all emerged in 1894. I do not think I have any pnpa3 

 lying over. A. ridens will spin up anywhere, so the hard ground 

 would not affect them. I have an impression that Tate prophesied 



there would be none next year from past experience." Mr. S. 



Webb (Dover), writes on March 22nd: — "Heavy rain in May swept 

 away ground larvae from the Downs. Heavy rains in woods, although 

 not so destructive, prevent these larvte swept off from recovering their 

 lost places. The hot sun later baked the ground thoroughly, and there 

 were no showers in July to soften the surface and allow Lijcaena 



curifdon, etc., to emerge." " Mr. Tutt writes on March 25th : — 



" The most interesting part of Mr. Maddison's note, appears to me to 

 be that part which refers to the different effect of the wet and cold 

 summer of 1894-, on Folia chi and P. Jlnriciiicta. His remarks suggest 

 that I'oJid rJii is more ."uited to a wet and cold climate, a suggestion 

 strengthened by the fact that it liourishes at fair altitudes on our hills 

 and moorlands. Again, that the wet season produces var. olicacea 



