252 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Asjanmetry enters largely into these variations, forming a 

 feature in about 33 per cent, of our specimens. 



With regard to the upper side of tiiis insect variation is much 

 less common ; we have, however, several specimens in which the 

 ocelli on the upper side are almost as clear and as brightly ringed 

 as those upon the lower side, and among these are two especially 

 interesting varieties. The first approximates closely, on the 

 under side, to var. lanceolata, all the ocelli being slightly enlarged 

 and somewhat oval, with the exception of ocellus No. 3, which is 

 present in the arete form on the right fore wing, and as a coeca 

 spot upon the left. The upper side of the insect is especially 

 striking; the ocelli are as clear and bold as any on a typical 

 under wing, with one interesting exception. Ocellus No. 3 and 

 ocelli Nos. 4, 5 and 8 are entirely obsolete, there thus being only 

 four bright ocelli on each side of the insect. The second varia- 

 tion is even more interesting ; each upper wing is typical, but 

 upon each lower wing are three bright and clearly defined coeca 

 points, representing ocelli Nos. 5, 6 and 7. 



Finally we have endeavoured to arrive at the cause of these 

 variations, but without much success. First we were inclined 

 to consider them due to malnutrition, but quite half, both of our 

 arete and coeca varieties, are full-sized, well-grown insects, though 

 others are perceptibly small. It seems, therefore, an open 

 question whether nutrition, or the want of it, enters to any great 

 extent as an active cause in the formation of these very interest- 

 ing varieties. 



Thursby Vicarage, 

 Carlisle. 



DUEATION OF STAGES OF PYRAMEIS ATALANTA. 

 By F. W. Frohawk, M.B.O.U., F.E.S. 



I HAVE read Mr. Gervase F. Mathew's remarks on Pyrameis 

 atalanta in the October number of this Journal, which do not 

 agree with observations I have from time to time noted down. 

 There is not the slightest doubt that the abundance of this species 

 in this country in certain years is due to immigration in the 

 spring, as is the case during the present year, when they first 

 appeared in Essex on May 14th last, as recorded in the July number 

 of the 'Entomologist.' Specimens occurring in Britain before may 

 in all probability have hibernated in this country, but only a 

 comparatively few appear to survive hibernation with us ; it may 

 be noticed that atalanta is always somewhat a rarity in early 

 spring as compared with other hibernated butterflies. As a rule 

 it does not make its appearance in any numbers (and then only 

 in certain seasons) until the latter half of May or early in June, 

 when the eggs are usually deposited which produce the first 

 summer emergence about the end of July. 



