98 THE entomologist's record. 



maturely in autumn, the rest passing the winter in their penultimate 

 state. Such specimens are, I believe, invariably infertile, and play no 

 part in the continuation of their species. Hence they appear and die, 

 but in no way affect the constancy of the hybernation." This notion 

 of infertility was very common a quarter of a century ago, but con- 

 tinual breeding has taught us tlui,t such specimens as emerge in the 

 autumn instead of spring are fertile, and go through the ordinary 

 courses of existence just the same as if they emerged in spring. They 

 pay the penalty of their haste usually in the destruction of their 

 progeny, which winter overtakes before they have reached that stage 

 in which alone they can survive its rigours. 



Of the fact that, with very few exceptions, the same species of 

 butterfly always goes through its hybernating period in the same stage, 

 wo are perfectly satisfied, and we think that Scudder has fallen into 

 grave error in IJuttcrjIics of tite Northern United States and Canada, 

 where he states that Pijraineh cardui, P. Jnintera, P. atalanta and 

 Aiilais milherti pass the winter, some specimens as imagines and 

 others as pupje, and that the former lay eggs in April and May, the 

 latter disclosing their inmates, which pair and lay eggs in June. Such 

 a statement is evidently based on erroneous or incomplete data. 



It may be well to briefly summarise the facts known about the 

 hybernation of the various species. Of those in the Super-family 

 Hesperides the following appear to have been long since determined : — 



Tliijineliciis actacon. — Larva (Buckler, 



Zeller, Fitch). 

 TlnjmeUcus lineola. — Egg (Hawes). 



Nhojii(ide>( tages. — Larva (Fitch, 



Hellins). ' 

 SijricJitJiKs inalvae. Pupa (Hellins, 



Zeller, Fitch). 



Pconphila sijlvanus. — Larva (Miihlig, Zeller, Fitch, Buckler). 



The following have only been recently cleared up, or still remain in 

 doubt : — 



Pampliila comma. — " Egg (Hellins)." There can be no doubt that 

 P. comma hybernates in the eQg, state. Mr. Hellins had eggs on 

 August 24th, 1867, which hatched on IMarch 27th, 18G8. 



Thi/melicm thaumas. — " Larva (Fitch, Hellins)." It was generally 

 assumed that Hellins' observations — " Eggs, July 29th, 1865, hatched 

 August 12th, small larvie (2mm. long), died November," and " eggs, 

 July, 1876, hatched August 15th ; spun silken hybernacula shortly 

 afterwards, and then came to grief " — settled the point that this 

 species hybernated as a larva. But Hawes writes {Ent., xxv., p. 177) 

 that " it may be well to correct an error with regard to H. thanmas 

 and H. line(da which appears to be accepted as fact. Neither species 

 passes the winter in the larva state. The eggs are laid at the end of 

 July and beginning of August, and remain as such until the following- 

 spring, emerging about April 20th." As we nowhere read that IMr. 

 Hawes has reared T. tlianmas, we are inclined to think, in the face of 

 Hellins' observations, that he has made an error of observation. 



Carterocejdialus palaemon. — "? Larva (Fitch). Larva (Buckler, 

 Hellins, Chapman)." Buckler received eggs June 7th, 1888 ; hatched 

 June 11th, 1888 ; hybernated in silken cases as large larvse (1 inch 

 long) from October until February ; pupated towards the end of March. 



Of those in the division Lyc^enida, less than two-thirds were 

 certainly known when Fitch wrote his article. Those that were known 

 were as follows : — 



