888 Insects. 



one of my early entomological excursions, more than twenty years ago. I must have 

 taken them within ten miles of Birmingham : that being the utmost extent to which I 

 had then travelled in search of insects. No sooner had I discovered that I possessed 

 such a treasure, than I carefully separated them from my specimens of M. Selene, for 

 which I had, at first, mistaken them. For the last twenty years, having been much 

 occupied in exploring various remote parts of the United Kingdom, I have had but 

 little time or opportunity to travel over my old grounds in the neighbourhood of Bir- 

 mingham, or to visit, at the proper season, the spot which I believe I can confidently 

 point out as that where my specimens of M. Dia must have been taken. Very shortly 

 after the discovery of what my specimens probably were, they were taken to London 

 by Mr. Marshall, the well known entomologist, and ascertained to be the true M. Dia. 

 Much has been said by some gentlemen about mixing foreign specimens of insects 

 with British. No one can condemn that practice more strongly than myself. Yet I 

 really think that there is little justice or good feeling in accusing, or even suspecting, 

 an entomologist of such unpardonable negligence, without something more than sur- 

 mise of the fact. It has been well observed by an eminent entomologist with whom I 

 have the honour of occasionally corresponding, " that if we disbelieve the existence of 

 all which we do not ourselves see alive, our list (of British insects) will be small in- 

 deed." Now, I can very confidently state that, until long after the time when the two 

 specimens of M. Dia fell into my hands, I had never bought, nor exchanged, any in- 

 sects ; and that I possessed not one single foreign specimen : so that I could not pos- 

 sibly have confounded those of my own capture with others. I regret that I was, till 

 lately, ignorant of the remarks in the ' Entomologist ; ' otherwise, this statement would 

 have reached you at a much earlier date. — Richard Weaver ; Pershore St., Birming- 

 ham, January 9, 1845. 



Apatura Iris. This insect, so notorious in England for its lofty flight, is, in Sile- 

 sia, no wise remarkable in this respect. It is fond of muddy lanes, of which there is 

 no lack, and may often be seen enjoying itself on the borders of a puddle. The fa 

 vourite method of capture is to bore a hole in the trunk of an oak tree, at a convenient 

 height from the ground, when the Apaturas eagerly come to feast on the sap. Apa- 

 tura Ilia and Clyti, as well as the various species of Limenitis are taken thus to great 

 advantage.—/. W. Slater. 



Vanessa Antiopa. This is, in general, the most plentiful butterfly here [in Silesia]. 

 There appear to be two distinct varieties; those which appear in spring having the 

 border of the wings sulphur yellow, whilst the autumnal brood, like British specimens, 

 have a white margin. — Id. 



Hermaphrodite Moth. In 1839, a curious hermaphrodite moth was captured near 

 Cosel. The body was divided laterally into male and female, the more obvious, as it 

 was a specimen of S. dispar ; the male side much smaller than the female, and fur- 

 nished with a plumed antenna, whilst the other had an antenna of the usual bristle 

 form : in short, the distinction was complete in every part of the body visible. I much 

 wished to obtain this specimen for dissection, but could not succeed. — Id. 



Capture of Cleora teneraria and Petasia cassinea. C. teneraria is considered a very 

 rare insect throughout England. I received four specimens from Carlisle, taken last 

 autumn. About nine years ago it was not uncommon upon stone walls in the vicinity 

 of a favourite wood. I have seen them in spiders' webs, and thought them of no im- 

 portance at that time, being only a novice in the science. Of P. cassinea, my father 

 and brothers took four pair in one day last October, resting on the trunks of trees and 

 on twigs, being the first time that the perfect insect has been taken there. — Jas. B. 

 Hodgkinson; 12, Friday St, Preston, Jan. 19, ]84f>. 



