OBSER VA TIONS ON INSECTS. 335 



November they swarm on trees covered with this plant ; 

 and when they disappear, probably retire under the shelter 

 of its leaves, concealing themselves between its fibres and 

 the trees which it entwines.* — White. 



This I have often observed, having seen bees and other 

 winged insects swarming about the flowers of the ivy very 

 late in the autumn. — Markwick. 



Spiders, woodlice, lepismoe in cupboards and among sugar, 

 some empedes, gnats, flies of several species, some phala3na3 

 in hedges, earth-worms, etc., are stirring at all times when 

 winters are mild ; and are of great service to those soft- 

 billed birds that never leave us. 



On every sunny day the winter through, clouds of insects 

 usually called gnats (I suppose tipulce and empedes) appear 

 sporting and dancing over the tops of the evergreen trees in 

 the shrubbery, and striking about as if the business of 

 generation was still going on. Hence it appears that these 

 diptera (which by their sizes appear to be of different 

 species) are not subject to a torpid state in the winter, as 

 most winged insects are. At night, and in frosty weather, 

 and when it rains and blows, they seem to retire into those 

 trees. They often are out in a fog. — White. 



This I have also seen, and have frequently observed 

 swarms of little winged insects playing up and down in the 

 air in the middle of winter, even when the ground has been 

 covered with snow. — Markwick. 



* The ivy is haunted at night by swarms of moths and other insects. 

 I have seen an ivy bush, on a warm summer night, literally moving 

 with the number of moths which were feeding on it. The eyes of the 

 larger ones glowed like sparks of fire. 



