18 BRITISH LEP1D0PTERA. 



vegetation for the larvae produced from the eggs of the few successful 

 hybernators to negotiate their early stages successfully. As to its 

 hybernating habits, Bromilow observes that, to winter, the imagines 

 enter dwelling-houses at Nice, and are often met with in disused 

 clothing, etc. The species is, however, on the wing, in the 

 Mediterranean district, practically all the winter, and the hybernating 

 habit is there evidently a weak one. Mathew observes that, at 

 Malta, it cannot be said to hybernate ; it merely hides itself in holes 

 in the countless stone walls, whenever a short spell of cold weather 

 sets in, but is always to be seen any day throughout - the winter 

 when the sun shines. It may be said even to aestivate to a 

 certain extent during the hottest time of the year at Malta, where 

 everything is parched up, for it is then rarely seen in the public 

 gardens at Valetta, and, on one or two occasions, it has been 

 observed day after day sitting in dark passages in houses or dark 

 corners of rooms. Walker records it as flying on Christmas Day, 

 1886, on the rock at Gibraltar, and further reports it as common 

 there all through the year. Mathew also saw a pair, in cop., there, on 

 February 16th, 1866, when others were also noticed hovering about; 

 Stainton observes that, in February and March, he has seen 

 three or four moths buzzing in nearly every window of the Villa 

 Borghese ; Chapman notes ( Ent. Rec, xi., pp. 96 — 97) that, 

 at Cannes, the species was abundant in February, 1899, the 

 specimens in varied condition buc usually somewhat worn, and he 

 had no doubt that they had been on the wing on suitable occasions 

 all the winter, whilst Fletcher records it at Crete and on the coast of 

 Greece in November and December, 1900, and throughout January 

 and February, 1901 ; at Kandahar, too, it is reported as very 

 abundant in November, December, January and February. Further 

 evidence of the slightness of the hybernating habit in the warm 

 southern countries that the species inhabits will be found (postea) 

 when we discuss the time of appearance of the species. Such 

 evidence as is forthcoming suggests that, if the species survives 

 our winter at all, it has to do so in the imaginal state, yet the 

 evidence of successful hybernation in this country is not very con- 

 vincing. Three points stand out clearly, viz. — (1) Larvae that feed up in 

 September and October and pupate in October and November 

 must produce imagines within a few weeks of assuming the pupal 

 stage or die. (2) Imagines are found in houses, sheds, &c, 

 during the early months of winter, showing that they attempt to 

 do the amount of rest that may be necessary even in southern 

 Europe, and possibly do successfully rest as long as they would 

 ever have to do there. (3) Imagines are very occasionally found in 

 January, February and March on sunny days in sheltered spots 

 iii England, as they might be (though much more abundantly) at 

 the same time in Spain, southern France or Italy. As to the first 

 point, our own evidence, supported by that of Hellins, Merrifield, 

 Wells, Jefferys, Moss, and many other observers, is available; pupae 

 may live for a considerable length of time in the autumn beyond 

 the normal three or lour weeks usual for this stage, but they do 

 not appear to be able to survive our winter. Moss curiously ob- 

 serves that late pupae in his possession emerged quite naturally 

 in November and December, 1 S < > 7 , without forcing, but that one sub- 



