NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 113 



butterfly was flying and settling. I remarked the tawny red colour- 

 ing as in the winter emergence at Cannes {i. e. in comparison with 

 the summer brood). This, of course, was due to the age of the 

 insect, though it was not worn, only faded. I remember many years 

 ago a number were found in Crowborough woods, Sussex, hibernating 

 among faggots with Eugonia polychloros. This information was 

 conveyed to me by Dr. Gerald Hodgson, of Brighton, and, to the best 

 of my belief, he was present at the time when the faggots were 

 being removed. He told me he was quite sure that atalanta hiber- 

 nated in England. I have met with many examples of Vanessa io 

 here from February onwards, both on the moorland and in sheltered 

 lanes. — C. B. Morris ; Beach House, Sidmouth, South Devon, 

 April 2nd, 1918. 



Pyrameis atalanta, etc., in March. — An example of P. atalanta 

 was observed here on March 23rd, fluttering in one of the bedi'ooms 

 facing to the west. It had evidently passed the winter there, and 

 made its exit through the window into the garden. This, and Mr. 

 Ford's note {antea, p. 93), seem further evidence that atalanta can, 

 and does, hibernate successfully in Britain when conditions are 

 favourable. On the same day, the temperature at noon being over 

 65° in the shade, Vanessa io was feeding on the blossom of a very 

 early flowering plum, and laurustinus. I also saw the first Pieris 

 rapce on the wing, a single individual, near Pinner. — H. Rowland- 

 Brown ; Harrow Weald, March 24th, 1918. 



Celastrina argiolus and Brephos parthenias in Middlesex. 

 — A freshly emerged male G. argiolus appeared in the garden here 

 on March 31st after a few cool and stormy days, following the 

 abnormal warmth of March 23rd and 24th. This is the earliest 

 date in five and twenty years' observations here. On March 24th, 

 on one of the smaller commons, " Pinner Beds," B. parthenias was 

 quite abundant. I have no record of the species in Middlesex since 

 1892, and have never before seen it in this locality myself. During 

 the past quarter of a century, however, the character of our commons 

 has completely changed. The open furze-^rown gravel beds have 

 become afl'orested with dense thickets of birch, which in their turn 

 are being thinned out. On Harrow-Weald Common a fair propor- 

 tion of sallows survive, and here, too, B. parthenias occurred, though 

 more sparingly. — H. Rowland-Brown ; Harrow-Weald, April 2nd, 

 1918. 



Brephos parthenias : A Contrast in Seasons. — It may interest 

 readers to hear that last year Brephos parthenias was not on the 

 wing in this district until April 24th ; we had frost and snow until 

 April 16th. This year the moth was in full flight on March 22nd, 

 more than a month earlier, and may have been flying a day or two 

 previously. — H. D. Ford; Thursby Vicarage, Carlisle. 



Brephos parthenias in Gloucestershire. — On March 21st I 

 was out in the birch woods here and noticed Brephos parthenias 

 flying in dozens in the afternoon sunshine, nearly a month earlier 

 than last year. This species remained on the wing as late as 

 5.30 p.m. So far I have failed to locate B. notha here, although the 



ENTOM. MAY, 1918. L 



