AMPHIDASIS PRODROMARIA AND H. LEUCOPHAARIA NEAR YORK. 130 
covered with snow till the middle of that day. ‘hat is, two eggs 
had been laid in or within the twenty-four hours. 
Peewits, as is well known, often rise from a nest containing 
only one or two eggs. This seems to indicate that these birds 
habit would be of the greatest advantage to the Peewit, for, the 
nest being always on exposed, open ground, the eggs, if voluntarily 
left uncovered by the parent bird for a short time even, would 
inevitably fall a prey to the numerous gulls, rooks, and crows which 
are constantly hawking for eggs over the moors in sprin 
Oo the more migratory species of this family, which have to 
travel such immense distances for t urpose of nesting and 
rearing their young, this rapid habit of laying their eggs and 
incubating them would be of special service, for m hese 
irds leave our shores late in spring for their breeding-grounds, 
often within the Arctic circle, the young of some of them returnin 
as early as August, and the others in the early part of September, 
on their.journey back to the north of Africa, or further southwards ; 
the whole process of nesting and rearing their young, and the 
passage of many thousand miles to and from their winter quarters 
having to be accomplished in three or four months. ust b 
evident from these facts that the shorter the period required for the 
purposes of incubation and rearing their young, the greater would 
be the advantage to the Plover family. 
Since the above observations were made, I have not had an 
Opportunity of confirming their correctness, or otherwise rectifying 
any error in the observation. I have, therefore, given this rather 
long account of what may seem a very trifling matter in bird-life, 
but which, if substantiated, would be of considerable interest, in 
the hope that someone with ample opportunity may further investi- 
gate this question, and establish the exact time in which the Peewit 
and other Plovers lay their clutch of eggs. 
NOTE—LEPIDOPTERA. 
Amphidasis prodromaria ae Hybernia leucophearia near York.— 
Whilst caeoe ine in Sandburn Wood, near Y¥ 8% on the 38th. es. about 
a.m., bars a male 228 female e specimen of the Great Oak Beauty (Amphidasis 
strataria H = prodroma sare; in copula. They were at rest on the 
oak-tree. ne ae hasta about 100 eggs, of a pale greenish ro ig erie 
Species is of ra urre in the neighbourhood of York, and I see on con- 
sulting Mr, Porrit’s Tist of ‘Yorksh ire Lepidoptera, that it has only ni recorded 
from this district once previously, viz., by the late Mrs. Thomas Wi 
n the same eh I — = specimens of Hybernia leucophearia 5 Gaciaing a 
couple of specimens of the var. marmorinaria Esp.). These were obtained by 
Searching the boles of Sg he, —W. Hewett, Howard St., York, 4th Ap., 1892. 
May 3892. 1892. 
