HYBERNATION OF INSECTS. 4-39 



laid back; and it was only after the sun had shone some 

 seconds upon them that they exhibited symptoms of 

 animation, and after stretching out these organs began 

 to walk. Close by them lay a single weevil {Anthono- 

 rmis Pomorum), but in so deep a sleep that at first I 

 thought it dead. It gave no sign of life when placed on 

 my hand, quite hot with the exercise of digging ; and it 

 was only after being kept there some seconds, and 

 breathed upon several times, that it first slowly unfolded 

 its rostrum, and then its limbs. It deserves remark, 

 that all these insects, thus differently affected, were on 

 the same side of the tree, under a similar covering of 

 bark, and apparently equally exposed to the sun, which 

 shone full upon the covering of their retreat'. 



All insects, however, do noi undergo this degree of 

 torpidity. In fact, there are some, though but few, which 

 cannot, at least in our climate, strictly be said to hy- 

 bernate, understanding by that term passing the win- 



* Since writing the above, I have had another opportunity of 

 confirming the observations here made. The last week of January 

 1817, in the neighbourhood of Hull, was most delicious weather — 

 calm, sunny, dry, and genial — the wind south-west, the thermome- 

 ter from 47° to 52° every day, and at night rarely below 40° ; in fact, 

 a week much finer than we can often boast of in May : the 27th of 

 the month was the most delightful day of the whole : the air 

 swarmed with Trichocera hiemalis, PsychodcE, and numerous other 

 Diptera, and the bushes were hung with the lines of the gossamer- 

 spider as in autunm. Yet, with the exception oi Aphodius contami- 

 7iatus, I did not observe a single coleopterous insect on the wing, 

 nor even an individual tempted to crawl on the trunks of the trees, 

 under the dead bark of which I found many in a very lively state. 

 Five or six individuals of Haltica Nemoriim were still very lethargic ; 

 and two of Gcotrupes stercorarius, which I accidentally dug up from 

 their hybernacula in the earth at the depth of six or eight inches, 

 though the /Icari upon them were quite alert, exhibited every sym- 

 ptom of complete torpor. 



