NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 19 



AcHERONTiA ATROPos.— I had three larvre of Acherontia atropns, nearly 

 full-grown, sent to me, on July 12th, by Mr. Daw, of William Street, 

 Slough. They were found feeding on Lycium harbanan, growing 

 aganist the wall, and partially covering the sitting-room window o'f 

 Ins house; one was injured by a fall, and died in a few days. Two 

 went down, the first on July isth, the other on the 21st. Both pro- 

 iuced moths, one on Sept. 20th, and the other on the 28th— fine and 

 perfect specimens. The first measured 4f in., and the last to appear 

 3 m., from tip to tip of wings, when set. It would be interesting to 

 mow if the larvfe have been found in a similar situation in other parts 

 )f the country. The first example of A. atropos I had in my cabinet 

 vas found at Slough on Nov. 6th, just over thirty years ago, and so 

 veil is it preserved that it might easily be mistaken for one captured 

 yithm the last two years.— J. B. Williamson; Farnham Common, 

 slough, Bucks. 



Emergence of the Sexes of Himera pennaria. — On April 20th I 

 bund a batch of eggs of Himera pennaria on an oak-trunk. These 

 latched m due time, producing forty-four larvae, of wliich forty-three 

 uipated, all going doAvn within three days. The following are the 

 iates of emergence, with the sex :— Sept. 20th, two males ; 22nd, two 

 uales ; 23rd, three males ; 2oth, three males ; 28th, two males ; 29th, 

 ne male. Oct. Isi;, one male, two females ; 2nd, two females ; 4th, one 

 aale ; 5th, one male, three females ; 8th, two females ; 9th, one male, 

 ne female; 14th, two males, two females; 15th, one male, three 

 emales ; 16th, two males, one female ; 17th, two females ; 19th, two 

 miales; 20th, one male. Total, twenty-three males and tAventy 

 emales. The males were all, without exception, well-formed and 

 erfect insects. Of the females, twelve were complete cripples. In 

 ight the wmgs were fully expanded, but in four of these lacked 

 trength and substance, only four of all the females being really 

 erfect.— N. F. Searancke ; Mitcheldean, Gloucester, Nov. 7th, 1893. 



Eemarks on the Season of 1893.— Early Appearances. — Owing to 

 le almost tropical weather, instances of early appearances have been 

 IV too numerous to mention here ; on the whole, species have 

 ppeared fully a fortnight earlier than usual, in many instances three 

 eeks, and m some exceptional cases even a month in advance of 

 L-dmary seasons. 



Melanism. — Instances of melanism in specimens captured this 

 sason have not been np to the average ; a very large number of the 

 octua? and Geometra? (especially the former) which occur in the 

 3ighbourhood of York are more or less subject to melanism. A full 

 it of tlie species which show this tendency, and have come under my 

 )servation, will be given at some future date. 



Sallows were very unproductive, being well out by March 10th, 

 id doubtless on this account the generally seductive blossoms failed 

 attract the Tfeniocampida; in anything like their usual numbers. 



Sugar. — Whilst we have had very few poor nights at sugar, the 

 lantity has rarely been great, and the quality invariably poor. The 

 ason tor this has been, in my opinion, not the counter-attraction of 



c2 



