NOTES, CAPTURES, ETC. 123 
extent corroborative, viz., that it is undoubtedly double-brooded, 
as observed by Mr. Harwood (Entom. 88); but I do not remember 
having seen a single specimen there since the latter year. Ihave 
taken it flitting along holly hedges in May and August, and 
netted many fine specimens of the May brood hovering over or 
settling upon the flowers of old holly trees on Donyland Heath 
and adjoining wood near Colchester. I have also taken examples 
of this butterfly flitting along hawthorn hedges, and occasionally 
settled on gooseberry bushes (fibes grossularia) in my garden, 
apparently only tending to prove that in those localities where 
the insect is periodically plentiful, it occasionally wanders from 
its staple food to sip the sweets of the blossom of other berry- 
bearing shrubs and trees. I notice that Stainton and other 
authors mention the flowers of the buckthorn, as well as those 
of the holly and ivy, as food of the larva of Lycena argiolus.— 
GrorcEe J. Grapes; 2, Buckleigh Road, Streatham Common, 
S.W., 14th April, 1886. 
Lycm@NnA aRGiotus IN Norra Kent.—It is within my 
observation that about this district Lycena argiolus has been 
much scarcer for some years past. Brother collectors I have 
worked with in bygone years always accounted this species 
double-brooded. There were certainly two distinct flights; but 
the first was, or appeared to be, far inferior in numbers to the 
second. We imagined the reason was because the winter was 
passed in pupation, and many died some years owing to the 
damp affecting them. The tendency the May brood showed 
to haunt the buckthorn hedges was certainly a fair indication 
that they deposited eggs on the flowers of Rhamnus; and the 
August insects appeared as partial to bramble, or later to the ivy 
bloom.—J. R. S. Cuirrorp ; Gravesend, March, 1886. 
RESTING HABIT OF VANESSA ATALANTA.—I should like to say 
a few words with regard to the resting habit of Vanessa atalanta 
(EKntom. 60). I think the whole family of Vanessidze have a 
habit of resting in some very odd places at times which have 
no apparent attraction at all. I have often noticed V. atalanta, 
flying along the sunny side of old cinder walls, frequently resting 
itself on the bare cinders, or on the crumbling mortar which had 
been loosened by long exposure to weather. I watched one 
specimen on one occasion for half an hour or so: it traversed the 
wall backwards and forwards a good number of times, resting 
