42 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



as those of Gonepteryx rhamni, except that the angles are not 

 quite so prominent or acute as in the latter insect. In all other 

 respects it seems to agree with the ordinary form of L. argiolus . 

 It was taken about the end of May. I have never heard of any 

 similar variation in this insect, and should like to know if such 

 often occurs. — E. B. Bishop; 8, Primrose Terrace, George Lane, 

 Woodford, January 2, 1884. 



Food of Gonepteryx rhamni. — What does Gonepteryx 

 rhamni in its larval state feed upon besides buckthorn ? I have 

 found the larvse here on both Rhamnus catharticus and B.frangula ; 

 chiefly the latter, which is common here, though I have never 

 noticed it elsewhere. Surely there must be some other kind of 

 food, as go where you will G. rhamni abounds. — C. A. Sladen ; 

 Burghclere, Newbury, November 12, 1883. 



Bearing of Attacus luna. — Referring to my notes on silk- 

 producing insects (Entom. xiv. 85) further experience in rearing 

 Attacus luna in the open air induces me to conclude that the 

 incidence of its not passing the winter in the pupal state is 

 entirely due to temperature, as the following will show : — During 

 the past season I was fortunate in obtaining a plentiful supply of 

 ova of this moth from two females impregnated by the same 

 male. The bulk of the ova thus obtained hatched on the 11th 

 and 12th of July, and the young larvse were fed on walnut 

 (Juglans regia), as on the occasion recorded in the notes adverted 

 to. The larvse passed without mishap through the usual moult- 

 ing stages of their existence, and constructed cocoons in the 

 early part of the following September, about one month later 

 than previously recorded. The insect is still in the cocoon state, 

 and likely to remain so until next summer, no doubt owing 

 to the pupal transformation having taken place at a more 

 advanced and cooler period of the season. — Geo. J. Grapes ; 

 2, Pownall Crescent, Colchester, November 29, 1883. 



Noctua xanthographa. — I strongly suspect that the larvse 

 observed in such numbers by Mr. Geldart, during February last 

 (Entom. xvi. 277), were those of Noctua xanthographa. He 

 mentions that although several larvae formed cocoons, yet he 

 obtained no pupse. The larva of N. xanthographa forms its 

 cocoon from seven to eight weeks before it turns to a pupa, 

 which causes some difficulty to those who wish to follow it 



