272 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



A large number of commoner species visited the sugar, but 

 very few the honey-dew ; two or three Geometr<B showed 

 preference for the latter; and Herminia iarsipeiuialis, 

 Pyralis Jimbrialis and P. (jlaucinalis were common on the 

 former. On the whole the balance of species and individuals 

 was decidedly in favour of sugar. On several nights visitors to 

 my feast were scarce ; but at that prepared for them by the 

 Aphides they were even more so. On these occasions the 

 invited must have had important engagements, which pre- 

 vented their attendance at the rival banquets; and so passed 

 on their invitations to certain earwigs and slugs, for these 

 gentry were present in large numbers. 1 am inclined to 

 think the condition of the atmosphere is the chief point upon 

 which depends the result of our sugaring; but what that 

 condition should be 1 am unable to say. In the month of 

 August, 1876, 1 sugared almost every night; and I took a 

 iesv notes as to the state of atmosphere, wind, direction and 

 force, thermometer readings, moonlight, &c., but have been 

 unable to go into the matter since. Next year 1 hope to do 

 so, and shall be glad of any suggestions on the subject. — 

 R. South ; 277, Camden Road, N. 



Is Pericallia syhingaria Double-brooded? — Upon 

 referring to Newman's 'British Moths,' and some other 

 entomoloj^ical works, I find the above question answered in 

 the negative, which is quite in accordance with my expe- 

 rience previous to this season. However, from the facts 

 slated below, I now hesitate in giving that opinion. This 

 year I took the first moth of the species mentioned upon 

 July 4lh, and saw the last on the 13lh of the same month: 

 from females taken I obtained four broods of larvae, some of 

 which were hatched on .Inly 19lh. A little later in the 

 month I observed tliat something had commenced to feed 

 upon a lilac; but unfortunately I omitted to search for the 

 intruders until August 16lh, when a larva nearly full fed was 

 taken ; the imago appearing on August 30th. Later on 

 another search was made, which resulted in finding a pupa ; 

 the perfect insect in this instance emerged September 5th. 

 1 may add that these two moths are of a different shade to 

 any others I have taken, a })oint which is quite in harmony 

 with the second brood of other species in this group. Thus 

 I am led to suppose that these caterpillars were hatched at 

 the same time as mine, and consequently have produced a 

 second brood. Can any of the readers of the 'Entomologist' 

 kindly inform me if in breeding Pericallia syriiigaria they 



