288 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



and most pleasing chirrup as well as the usual alarm-note, an 

 utterance which frequently occurs in the song ; and in fact once 

 or twice the bird almost broke out into song, as the Sedge 

 Warbler does when angry. 



After a short absence, I found four young birds in the nest 

 on July 12th. The first contour-feathers were almost black: on 

 the tongue were two barb- shaped spots, or rather processes, with 

 the narrow end towards the bill fixed, while the broad one 

 towards the throat was loose, and was raised when the nestlings 

 opened their bills wide. Two days later brown feathers on the 

 back began to appear, the brown being decidedly darker and more 

 rufous than that of the parents. The iris was very dark brown ; 

 the legs and feet light flesh-colour. The throat was buffish white, 

 and the breast dull buff. 



On the 18th the family left the nest ; but I had no difficulty 

 in finding them again, for by this time they were almost the only 

 occupants of the osier-bed. The Sedge Warblers had been gone 

 some days before and also the numerous Whitethroats ; only a 

 Reed Bunting or two broke the general silence. It was easy to 

 distinguish the young birds by their darker brown backs, their 

 yellow bills, and the duller white of throat and breast. I found 

 them using as a call-note the same sibilant cry which their 

 parents used as an alarm ; but it was shorter and fainter, and 

 almost more more like a hiss than a croak. One young bird had 

 died in the nest and been ejected, and I had taken one egg; so 

 we have three young birds at present in the osiers. They were 

 not to be found on the 22nd ; they were the last to leave the 

 osier-bed, which now (July 28th) seems entirely deserted. 



THE HIBEENATION OF BUTTEEFLIES. 



From the French of M. G. de Rocquigny-Adanson. 

 By the Editor. 



The hibernation of butterflies belonging to the genus Vanessa 

 is not of that exceptional character which one is accustomed to 

 assign to it. On the contrary, it must be regarded as an annual 

 periodical phenomenon, perfectly normal. Whether the winter 

 be mild or excessively cold, it matters not. This we are to some 

 extent able to prove from actual facts collected in the centre of 



