52 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



thyme Aciptilia tetradactyla abounds, and among the scabious 

 Mirnaeseoptilus bipunctidactylus , in pallid dress, and of a rather un- 

 usual form, is not uncommon. Sericori.'s alternnna is also abundant,, 

 and then we turn out the lovely HiipercaUia citrinaUs (cliri stIerueUa), 

 in its beautiful dress of saffron and crimson. Quite a Kentish chalk 

 bank you see in its insects, but with the insects of a Scotch mountain- 

 side combined with it. Such a strange but delightful mixture — 

 A. crataegi and E. aethiops, S. alternana and H. citrinalis. A. 

 humiliata and E, adaequata, ('. hyale and M. athaJia, E. parallelaria 

 and L, sinapis, A. papliia and T. Uneola. 



But we drop down the bank to the right, and soon get among the 

 rocks that lie in the bed of the stream. Larentia olivata and Euholin 

 hipnnctaria are disturbed, and as we work our way up to the stone 

 bridge, and pass under its archway, we disturb a number of Gnophids 

 —we recognise Dasydia obfnscata and Gnophos dilucidaria, but these 

 rock-moths must have a special note to themselves some day, if space 

 will allow. We climb back into the road. Hipparchin semele flits among 

 the rocks at the side, and a fine large creature settles in the road, 

 fanning its wings, displaying the deep chocolate tint and pale border 

 of Vanessa antiopa. How it struggles in the net for freedom ! No 

 quiet yielding up of its life, but a struggle, fierce and determined, 

 reminding one of Apatura iris. A thrill runs through one when one 

 puts an end to such a thing of life. 



A large rich Erebia suns itself on the rocks. It is the magnificent 

 Tyrolean E nerine. A bed of thistles shows Gonepteryx rhamni, and 

 quite a brood of Argynnis latona sporting with the swarms of 

 butterflies, ordinarily to be found in such spots. But we are now 

 almost at our hotel, and Pilsener looms large, written in our thirsty 

 throats in letters of fire. This rich collecting ground is practically at 

 our doors. In front, behind, around us the pine woods stretch, or 

 wastes of heather and flowers, or thymy slopes extend, all swarming 

 with insect life. The hot sun pours down its powerful rays, our 

 collecting boxes are full, and we seek the grateful shade to overhaul 

 and set our captures of the last few hours— and read the last postcard 

 from home — •" No collecting to be done — weather atrocious !" 



The Resting Habit of Insects as Exhibited in the Phenomena of 

 Hybernation and Aestivation. 



By WM. FRANCIS dk VISMES KANE, M.A., F.E.S. 



The article on the above subject [ante, p. 1) contains much 

 suggestive matter, but the speculative theory propounded by Mr. Tutt 

 to account for the various array of interesting facts relative to the 

 hybernation of Lepidoptera appears to me somewhat far-fetched, and 

 to rest on quite insufficient warrant. And, whether it is due to the 

 wide field traversed or to the necessity of curtailed quotations, the 

 argument appears to suffer from a want of homogeneity, which offers 

 considerable difficulty in attempting a fair criticism and analysis of its 

 bt;arings. For the opening paragraph seems almost to assert the 

 oumipotence of external circumstances to mould the organism, though 

 its co-operation with them as an independent entity is partially 

 acknowledged by the expression, " the internal forces so far as they 

 exist." Again, in the succeeding paragraph the writer does not 



