248 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



The principal characters taken into consideration for the 

 purposes of classification have now, I hope, been sufficiently 

 discussed to enable the reader to understand how the main 

 differences in the three classifications have arisen. The other 

 differences, relating chiefly to the number of the families and 

 groups to be recognized and the arrangement of the families in 

 each group, are less essential, and can best be considered if we 

 give the outlines of each classification first before pointing out 

 and discussing those that seem to be the more important. 

 (To be continued.) 



NON-HYBERNATION OF PYRAMEIS ATALANTA. 

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



For many years past I have paid particular attention to the 

 habits of Pyrameis atalanta in this country. My experience is 

 based on careful observation and the life-history of this species 

 under natural conditions. 



I am of opinion that P. atalanta does not hybernate in the 

 British Isles any more than P. cardui does, and that there is no 

 authentic record of atalanta ever having been found hybernating 

 anywhere in Britain, and surely if it did spend the winter months 

 in such a state, so common a species would have been detected, 

 when we know of several instances of the decidedly rare Vanessa 

 antiopa having done so. I know of specimens of the latter which 

 have from time to time been found during the winter months 

 and early spring, and even of one seen on the wing in midwinter, 

 but have never heard of atalanta after the first spell of cold 

 weather in late autumn or early winter has set in, which I 

 believe is fatal to the species. Therefore Mr. J. C. Warburg's 

 views {antea, p. 183) on the subject are entirely contrary to my 

 own, and I quite agree with Mr. L. W. Newman that atalanta 

 does not hybernate in this country. 



The occurrence of this species in Britain is due to immigration 

 of specimens in the spring. Usually the eggs are not deposited 

 until June, as the following notes will show, which may interest 

 Mr. Warburg. 



On June 10th, 1894, I captured a female which deposited 

 about one hundred eggs on the 14th. On June 27th, 1903, I 

 watched a wild female depositing on nettles at Wallasea, Essex, 

 and two days later (June 29th) I saw another depositing at 

 Hockley, Essex. At 6 p.m. on May 24th, 1909, I captured a 

 female while at rest on the wall of a house (Rayleigh, Essex), 

 sitting with expanded wings resting in the sun. A strong east 

 wind was then blowing which had been continuous for several days. 

 I have every reason to believe this was a freshly arrived immigrant. 

 Not wanting the specimen I gave her a drink and set her free. 



