NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 319 



surprise, in almost the last cone, a larva apparently about half-grown ; 

 this was, of course, placed back in the flower-pot, and eventually 

 came out a fine female on June 14th in the following year (1907). 

 Four specimens altogether were thus bred from the few cones picked 

 up in the spring of 1906. I have searched most assiduously each 

 year, but, strangely enough, have never found one since ! From the 

 fact that there is no outward visible sign of the larva within, unlike 

 the other two cone-feeding " knothorns," Dioryctria sjAendidella and 

 D. ahietella, F., I expect the insect is very much overlooked. From 

 this note it will be seen that it is inadvisable to throw the cones 

 away without a careful examination. — A. Thurnall ; Wanstead, 

 Essex, September 9th, 1911. 



Note on Larva of Agrotis rip^. — On the sandhills about 

 Palling, East Norfolk, this year were swarms of A. ripa feeding on 

 the sea-bindweed. While collecting a number of them I found, to 

 my surprise, that they were several times able to bite my hand 

 sufficiently hard to cause sharp pain. In every case they bit between 

 the fingers, presumably in an attempt to burrow through and escape. 

 I have never noticed this characteristic in any other larva, but it may 

 be for want of observation. — Charles Mellows ; Bootham School. 



Hybernation op P. atalanta. — In view of recent notes on the 

 above subject, it may be of interest to note that on June 9th, 1910, I 

 took a perfect specimen of this butterfly in the house here. — E. F. 

 Studd ; Oxton, Exeter, September 12th, 1911. 



Early Appearance op Erebia epiphron var. cassiope and Para- 

 SEMiA PLANTAGiNis IN WESTMORLAND. — On Juuo 7th this year I took 

 eighteen specimens of E. eiyipliron var. cassiope, and saw about as 

 many more, on a mountain not far from Helvellyn. They were flying 

 at an elevation of about two thousand feet. They were all males, the 

 females apparently not having emerged. I have usually taken this 

 insect, in the same locality, in fresh condition from June 22nd to the 

 end of the first week in July, according to the seasons. Along with 

 cassiope, I took a few and observed many more P. p)lantaginis males, 

 and also one var. Jiospita. At this elevation the species and its 

 variety are usually fresh out in the first week in July in this particular 

 locality. — B. H. Crabtree ; Cringle Lodge, Levenshulme, Man- 

 chester. 



Early Date for Ccenonympha typhon (davus). — On the mosses 

 near Hoverthwaite (Lane), I obtained Ccenonympha davus var. 

 rothlebii on June 5th, although in 1896 I took this insect as early as 

 May 30th, but the latter date was very exceptional, and I should 

 think almost constitutes a record. This year davits was out fully a 

 fortnight earlier than in normal seasons. — B. H. Crabtree. 



Black Aberration of Dasychira pudibunda. — I took a beautiful 

 black male specimen of Dasychira pudihunda in my moth-trap on 

 June 9th last year, and a friend of mine, who resides about a mile 

 from here, had one in his moth-trap this year. I had never seen or 

 heard of this variety before. — (Major) E. B. Robertson ; Fairlawn, 

 Chandler's Ford, September 8th, 1911. 



