THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 315 



(lespatcliecl when the larvae showed symptoms of hyberna- 

 lioii : they ceased to feed, except occasionally and sparingly, 

 secreting themselves among the foliage of the food-plant, and 

 finally constructi ig slight hybernaculi, here and there three 

 or four uniting to form one domicile, 1 suppose either to 

 economise labour or for the purpose of enjoying agreeable 

 society during the dreary winter months. They remained 

 close until I was able, in the following spring (1867), to 

 supply food, when I removed them to a higher temperature : 

 they at once came forth, and commenced feeding : this was 

 the 1st of May. About the middle of the month they laid 

 up for the fourth moult (which was very prolonged), and on 

 the 3rd of June began to form the cocoons, the males doing 

 so at least a week earlier than the females. On the 1st of 

 July the imagos began to appear. This attempt and failure 

 show that where there is not a natural tendency to double- 

 broodedness it is difficult to attain it by forcing, although we 

 know, where there is that tendency, as in Notodonta ziczac, 

 N. pal|)ina, &c., even a third brood may occasionally be 

 obtained. — George Gascoyne ; Newark, July 16, 1867. 



Larva of Epioue advenaria. — 1 think that Epione adve- 

 naria is more widely distributed than is supposed. It occurs, 

 though sparingly, in most of the woods near Portsmouth, 

 but, owing to a peculiarity it has of almost invariably settling 

 on a bramble when disturbed by the beating-stick, it is 

 oftener seen than captured. 1 have often obtained eggs from 

 captured females, but could not until this season succeed in 

 rearing the larvae, their reputed food-plant, the whortleberry, 

 not growing near the place of capture. On the 10th of June 

 last, having again procured eggs from a captured specimen, I 

 determined to try to rear them on bramble, and have so far 

 succeeded in doing so. The young larvae emerged on the 

 21st of June, and are now about half-grown. 1 think that 

 this (the bramble) must be their food-plant in this locality. 

 The young larva? have a curious habit of rolling themselves 

 into balls, and hanging suspended by a silken thread on the 

 least disturbance of the bramble. In this position they look 

 like so many pellets of frass. If the disturbance is continued 

 they fall to the ground, when it is almost impossible to dis- 

 tinguish lliem from it. This species, in this district, is 



