NOTE ON SESIA SPHEGIFORMIS, FABR. 205 



wooded plantations, but rather the outskirts, and isolated bushes 

 or shrubs. The larvse may be found in stems no thicker 

 than your little finger, to that as large as a man's leg, and they 

 feed at least three years ; in fact they are in larval state during 

 part of four years, viz., ova deposited, say June, 1891, will not 

 pupate until May, 1894. The larva does not, I think, feed the 

 last spring of its larval life, but it finishes its burrow and provides 

 for the future exit of imago ; so that if, in the spring, one 

 finds fresh frass being ejected from the end of the burrow, it is 

 useless to take it that year, as it is almost impossible to rear 

 half-fed larvse, save, perhaps, in cases where one has growing 

 plants to introduce them in ; generally it will be found much 

 better to note the tree, and leave them until the following May. 

 They only remain in pupa about a month, and may be found as 

 imagines from end of May until first week in July. My first date 

 of capture of perfect insect, at large, is May 2dth, on which date, 

 in 1882, an early season, I and a friend captured four examples, — 

 two females, at large, one of them flying, apparently depositing 

 ova ; and a pair in cop. One cold and backward season I took a 

 female, just as it emerged from pupa, on July Qth. The general 

 time, however, is about the first to second week in June. They 

 are not often found at large, unless you have a virgin female, and 

 then, given a favourable day, you possibly may get good sport, 

 but not always. 



Thus, this June 19th, I took two virgin females, that I had 

 bred, to Tilgate Forest, selected a likely spot, and had splendid 

 sport ; in fact, took twenty-four fine males. This was the best 

 take I ever had ; the day was all that could be desired, and the 

 result most satisfactory. 



A week later I again took two virgin moths to Tilgate, with 

 weather, so far as one could judge, equally favourable ; but, for 

 result, I only saw one male. This was surprising, as it was 

 hardly possible that the males were exhausted ; it was rather, I 

 am disposed to think, some special meteorological reason 

 unappreciable to our blunter senses. (N.B. — The wind was 

 S.W. and soft.) 



It is curious to watch for the approach of the males. They 

 come up to the caged female, in a booming flight that is 

 unmistakable, and are most readily captured ; but if once really 

 frightened, then they are off like a rocket ; the eye cannot follow 

 their rapid flight ; so different to the would-be lover. It is very 

 rare, indeed, that you can find a male on flight, except you are 

 aided by a virgin moth; occasionally you may detect one sitting on 

 a leaf, but very rarely. Your best chance of success is in breed- 

 ing, and possibly by attraction, although this fails sometimes. I 

 have never had but this year perfect success, against which I could 

 name a lot of failures, so much depends on the weather ; you may 

 get your females out and not huve a favourable day until the 



