1 24 LEPIDOP TERA . 



intermediate emergence takes place early in August. Miss 

 Hutchinson writes in the Younrj Naturalist : " On April 26th, 

 1866, we caught one flying over a currant bush. Eggs were 

 laid between April 27th and May 6th, always in bright 

 morning sunshine ; the larva3 were fed on currant and nettle 

 mixed, and were full grown from June 17th to 2ord. The 

 butterflies emerged from June 26tli to July ord, all very fine, 

 and of the pale summer variety. From these, eggs were 

 obtained from July 1st to 10th, and the perfect insects were 

 produced from August 17th to 27th. Part were fed on 

 currant, part on nettle, separately ; those from currant were 

 rather large and pale in colour. These later specimens would 

 not pair, apparently waiting for hybernation. The butterfly 

 was common that year, and pupte were found out of doors 

 in Ji^ly, August, September and October ; also larvas in 

 September and October ; the last butterfly emerging on 

 October 27th." In 1887 Mrs. Hutchinson again recorded it 

 as very plentiful, most abundant as larva and pupa when the 

 hops were being gathered. She found freshly emerged 

 butterflies in June, early in August, and again in September, 

 and expressed an opinion that there had then been tlircc broods 

 in the year. My own experience in Shropshire, many years ago, 

 confirmed the evidence as to the occurrence of tiuo broods. 

 The hybernated specimens there appeared with the earliest 

 warm sunshine, and were to be seen on every suitable day 

 until they became worn to rags and disappeared. A month 

 or six weeks later — in June — fresh specimens appeared, but 

 rarely, always of a totally different colour on the under side 

 from that of those hybernated and from those of the autumn 

 brood. But all the evidence goes to show that this only 

 occurs in favourable seasons, that in very many years no June 

 specimens are seen, and that they never are numerous ; and 

 it seems reasonable to believe that this summer brood is but 

 partial, the produce of the earlier deposited eggs, and that 

 the vastly augmented numbers found in the autumn are the 

 result of eggs laid by these midsummer specimens, added to 



