230 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



seated on the tree whereon Napoleon inscribed " Battaglia," 

 previous to the battle of Marengo. 



Milan, July 11. — Pieris Daplidice, Vanessa Atalanta, 

 V. C-Album, Hypogymna dispar. 



Susa, July 15. — Gonepteryx Rhamni, Colias Edusa. 



Francis Walker. 



Entomological Notes, Captures, 8fc. 



Scarcity of Butterjlies last June. — The unsettled and 

 ungenial weather prevailing in many places at the end of 

 May and the beginning of June had a very marked influence 

 upon bulterfly-life. Those species which were in these 

 weeks in the larval or pupal condition had their development 

 retarded, while the images that had hybernated, or emerged 

 before the cold rains and the high winds, were mostly swept 

 out of existence. The summer landscape in some parts of 

 Kent — on those days at the commencement of June when 

 there were occasional gleams of sunshine — presented an 

 unnatural aspect from the scarcity of butterflies, which give 

 such a charm to the rural scene. Even of the common 

 Brassicae and Rapse few individuals were about, much to the 

 satisfaction of the gardener. Only an occasional straggler 

 of Rhamni was to be seen, though in many seasons a good 

 number of the old imagos live on far into the summer. Of 

 the three familiar V'^anessae, viz. Atalanta, lo, and Urticse, there 

 were very {evf about. The spring brood of the latter species 

 had been considerably delayed. The first individual noticed 

 in the act of emergence from the pupa was seen on the 18th 

 of June, though probably some had appeared a few days 

 before. In former years fresh specimens have been out some 

 weeks earlier, both in Kent and Middlesex, and doubtless 

 elsewhere. In the vicinity of Gravesend there were scarcely 

 any young larvae of Atalanta and lo ; and some battered 

 females of lo seemed to be still flying in search of suitable 

 spots for oviposition. Of the larvae of Urticae I observed a 

 less number than usual feeding in May and June : the 

 females of this species are particularly nice in their selection, 

 passing by large patches of nettles, which look promising, to 

 settle in parties upon those plants growing near ditches, and 



