188 [January, 



omitted noticing a large number of species captured, as I must hare aet some three 

 thousand moths at least during the season, and have a good number to spare. — 

 J. B. HoDGKiNsoN, 31, Christ Church Street, Preston. 



Parthenogenesis in Orgyia antiqua. — The details of this case were communi- 

 cated to me by a friend, who has satisfied me that perfect isolation from the male 

 was maintained throughout. 



First generation. From a pupa found at Venn Hall, Sherborne, Dorset, in the 

 autumn of 1864-, a female imago emerged which laid eggs. 



Second generation. Of the above-mentioned eggs, ten hatched in the spring 

 of 1865 ; but of these larvae one only, the largest from the first, came to maturity ; 

 this produced a female which laid eggs. 



Third generation. Five larvas from these eggs attained the pupal state of 

 development, and one of them produced a female imago by the middle of October. 

 The series is, therefore, yet incomplete.— A. E. Eaton, Cambridge, Nov. 11th, 1865. 



Description of the larva of Hipparchia Semele, with notes on habits, food, ^c. — 

 Eggs of this species were obtained in 1864 by Dr. Knaggs and sent to the Rev. 

 J. Hollins on July 26th and August 3rd ; some of them hatched August 8th, and 

 others continuously for three or four days. 



The larvae at first were ochreous, with a blackish interrupted dorsal line, and 

 fed on Triticum repens, were very sluggish, often hiding low down amongst the 

 grass, and hybernated when about four lines in length. One larva only survived 

 the winter, and was kindly presented to me on the 13th of May, 1865, by 

 Mr, Helling, to whom I am indebted for the foregoing account of it. The larva 

 had shown a partiality for Aira ccespitosa previous to my receiving it, and on 

 this it was therefore placed, being then about eight lines in length. On the 20th 

 of May I chanced to dig up a rather larger larva of this species from a waste piece 

 of sandy ground near the sea, amongst Aira prwcox and other small grasses, which 

 rendered the task of rearing doubly interesting in observing the habits of each, 

 kept separate and on different food. 



The captured larva on being placed under a glass in a pot with its native 

 growing food, immediately burrowed in the sandy earth, and the few times it was 

 seen on the gi-ass were always at night, and each morning brought evidence of its 

 doing well by the diminished grass. 



About the 14th of Juno, these indications ceased, and on the 23rd, I searched 

 for the pupa, and found it in a hollow space a quarter of an inch below the surface 

 the particles of sand and earth very slightly cohering together, and close to 

 the roots of the grass, yet free from them. The pupa was obtuse, rounded, tumid 

 and smooth, the abdominal rings scarcely visible, and wholl}'^ ofa deep red mahogany 

 colour. The perfect insect (a J ) appeared July 24th. 



The lai'va reared wholly in captivity from the egg, always remained on its rigid 

 food, with its head uppermost, when feeding, which at first it did both day and night 

 till it was an inch long, from which time it fed only at night, remaining all day 

 at rest on the grass with its head downwards, in comparative darkness, amongst 

 the lower pai-ts of the stems. It never showed any disposition to buiTow, though 

 iho soil was sui^plied for tho purpose, until it was full fed about the middle of June. 



The butterfly (a (? ) appeared on the 5tli of August. 



