460 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



• 



Economy of Sesia Tipullformis. — Having cut open some 

 twigs of the black and red currant last September, I was 

 astonished to find larvae of the above of considerable size, in 

 fact, nearly full grown to all appearance, being almost 

 identical with those I have discovered in March and April. 

 At other times, in splitting the stems and twigs in autumn, I 

 have found the larvae small, and I supposed, with others, 

 that they fed on slowly through the winter. It is the more 

 remarkable that the larvae should be large this autumn, 

 because, in the same spot, the imagos appeared later than 

 usual this year, and were not out until the second week in 

 July. It seems, therefore, possible that some individuals of 

 this species may pass two winters in the larval state. I hope, 

 next year, to be able to make a careful examination of the 

 bushes, during the time the perfect insect is out. — J. R. S. 

 Clifford; 59, Robert Street, Chelsea. 



Female Moths at Sugar. — The overwhelming majority of 

 the female moths which resort to sugar will be found to 

 be, as T believe, unimpregnated, and, hence, the eggs they 

 deposit, while imprisoned, are not good for anything except 

 microscopic objects. The chief object of the females, 

 throughout their lives, is evidently the continuance of the 

 species ; and, immediately they are prepared for the work of 

 oviposition, they betake themselves to this with diligence, 

 and neglect the attractions of sugar and flowers. It has been 

 supposed by some that the organs of smell are much more 

 acute in most male moths than in the females, and, were this 

 the cTase, it would account for the admitted paucity of females 

 at sugar. Anatomy, however, does not throw much light 

 upon this subject; and, before we can decide as to the 

 relative functions of the organs of smell in male and female 

 moths, we must be able to answer, with positiveness, the 

 question: — "Where does the sense of smell reside?" — 

 J. R. S. Clifford. 



Hepialus lupulinus (second appearance). — This species 

 is usually constant in its time of appearance, being on the 

 wing, near London, in the early part of June, and seldom 

 affected much by change in the temperature. 1 discovered, 

 last September, specimens in good condition on palings, 

 near Fulham ; and as these were hardly likely to have been 

 survivors of the June brood, there must have been a partial 



