1680 Insects. 



ing season exhibit much irregularity in the time of appearance of many insects, if one 

 may infer anything from the following particulars : of a brood of A. aversata three 

 passed through the intermediate, and appeared in the perfect state in September, 

 while the rest remain of the size in which they usually pass the winter: of a brood of 

 M. Brassicae which went down in July, six emerged in September ; the rest, I suppose, 

 will appear this spring. In the same way three larvae of A. Caja outstripped the rest 

 of the brood and came out early in November ; the others are about half an inch long. 

 A single larva of a brood of G. bella grew rapidly, and the perfect insect appeared on 

 the 1st of October ; the rest are about one-third grown ; and of a brood of C. Alcines, 

 six or seven were full-grown in October, but have not yet emerged, while the remainder 

 are not more than half an inch long. I am quite aware of the objection, that these are 

 instances of larva? bred in confinement, and therefore we cannot argue from them to 

 such as are at liberty ; and this is true to a certain extent. But if such anomalies 

 have not occurred with larvae in confinement before, (and they have not to me), there is 

 surely a probability that similar anomalies may have occurred amongst those in a na- 

 tural state ; and I think there must have been such, for I took an example of L. im- 

 pura on the 5th of September, and another on the 12th, both apparently just emerged 

 from the chrysalis. I had two or three larva? of A. urticae (from eggs deposited in 

 June) which were full-fed about the middle of July ; these are still in the pupa state . 

 but on the 10th of October I found four larvae of the same species about two-thirds 

 grown, which must, I think, have come from eggs deposited by a moth from the July 

 brood of larva?. Again, late in September, I found some small larva? of P. meticulosa, 

 which continued to feed, and appeared in the winged state about the middle of No- 

 vember : now these must have been part of a brood of those which usually hybernate 

 in the larva state. About the same time I met with a larva of P. Gamma, which fed 

 and produced a moth on the 8th of November. This again, must, I think, have been 

 one of those which usually pass the winter in the larva state, if any do, and this I 

 think probable, for P. percontationis and P. Iota certainly do. These circumstances 

 make it probable that part of the broods, which in ordinary seasons would have ap- 

 peared this spring, did in reality appear last autumn ; and supposing them to have 

 been prolific, there will be nothing wonderful if several moths, in the ensuing season, 

 are irregular in their appearance, and seem double-brooded. It is not from an idea 

 that these remarks will be of general interest that I have made them, but to induce 

 others to record (if the Editor will permit) similar anomalies in the pages of the 

 ' Zoologist.' — William Turner, M.A. ; Uppingham, March 3rd, 1847. 



On the Feeling of Insects. — With regard to the feeling of insects, as much as been 

 said, and much may be said, on both sides, I would only beg to add that I think 

 there can be no doubt that whatever opinion any may form or have formed on the 

 subject, it will be the best and safest way for all to act on the supposition that they 

 have some, if not a very high degree of feeling, and accordingly to make it an unfail- 

 ing rule to kill them as instantaneously as possible. — F. O. Morris ; Nafferton Vicar- 

 age, Driffield, January Wth, 1847. 



[I heartily join with the Rev. Mr. Morris in this recommendation, extending it 

 even to the hot-bottle and hot-plate experiments of gentlemen who advocate an oppo- 

 site view to my own. — Edward Newman]. 





