( xlv ) 



ago reached upon other grounds, as the following letters 

 indicate. 



" Mr. G. 0. Barrett wrote to me on the subject on May 14, 

 1900:— 



' My experience on the point you mention is not large, and 

 if you have definitely noticed the period of pairing of Vanessa 

 U7'ticce it is of great interest. Of course I have seen the male 

 pursuing the female in the sunny days of spring, and also have 

 found it — both sexes, I believe — hybernating in August when 

 but just from the pupa, but I cannot remember that I have 

 seen actual pairing in this species — or in any Vanessa except 

 cardui. On very hot days at the end of May and beginning 

 of June worn females of this species may be seen flying in a 

 wild manner, pursued closely by still more worn and tattered 

 males ; and once I saw them after this wild rushing about 

 settle down on a branch of an oak-tree, and pairing at once 

 took place. I saw the action of copulation, and left them 

 paired on the tree. 



' I think that all the species pair in the spring — I might 

 even say that I do not think that the S would live through 

 the winter if they had paired ! but this is merely opinion, 

 though with good reason to back it.' 



"Mr. J. W. TuTT wrote on May 15, 1900 :— 



* I have no notes upon the pairing of Vanessa except that on 

 more than one occasion when folycldoros has been abundant in 

 the autumn and emerged early after a specially fine summer 

 I have seen occasional pairs in the autumn. I suspect all such 

 autumnal pairings are unusual, and that eggs are laid and the 

 progeny exterminated. Still I have never seen any spring 

 pairings, I think, of this species, and may be wrong. I believe 

 I have seen io paired in spring.' 



"Dr. Chapman wrote on May 16, 1900 :— 



' You will see all I know on the point in E. M. M. for 1891, 

 p. 22. I don't think I have seen a Vanessa in cop. But we 

 know that males and females equally hybernate. I think it 

 has over and over again been proved that female Vanessa are 

 immature in autumn. I don't know that the same has been 

 shown for the male, but it probably is so. I have seen male 

 Vanessa following up the females in spring, but I cannot refer 



