4872 Insects. 



opinion of that excellent entomologist, Mr. Doubleday ; he has often — very often- 

 been of the greatest possible assistance to me in my entomological pursuits, and it is 

 with much diffidence that I suggest any views in opposition to his, but he will I am 

 sure be glad to have a subject like this publicly discussed. Do insects which 

 hvbernate disappear directly they emerge from the pupa? state in autumn, if the 

 weather is warm? Or do they only do so upon the approach of winter? I saw and 

 took G. Rhamni this day, September 10. Does the intercourse between the sexes, 

 according to the single-brood theory, take place before or after hybernation? If 

 before, the insect would not look fresh in spring, as it is this process which disturbs 

 the nuptial bloom of insects more than anything else. Depend upon it that hyberna- 

 tion of the imago is an accidental or casual occurrence. Tt is opposed to the whole 

 scheme of insect life.— C. R. Dree ; Strickland*, Stowmarket, September 10, 1855. 



Is Gonepteryx Rhamni double brooded P — I have read with much interest the 

 several remarks of Mr. Newman (Zool. 4706), Mr. Doubleday (Id. 4811) and 

 Mr. Douglas (Id. 4812), on the question whether G. Rhamni be double-brooded or 

 not. I entirely coincide in the opinion expressed by them, that it is not. If the 

 insect be double-brooded (in the exact meaning of that term), there ought to be three 

 "flights" of the insect, it being admitted on all hands that it is seen on the wing in 

 April, or earlier if the season be favourable, and again in the autumn. The first, or, 

 as it may be termed, the midsummer brood, would be produced from eggs laid by the 

 parent insect in April, or earlier, as the case may be. Supposing Rhamnus catharticus 

 to bud about the beginning of May, the larva, by rapid eating, might become a pupa 

 at the end of the month, and, by an equally rapid proceeding, might become an imago 

 by the middle of June. Let us then turn to facts. Has any entomologist ever seen 

 G. Rhamni, fine or otherwise, on the wing, either in June or July? It would be pre- 

 sumptuous in me, on my own individual authority, to deny positively that it has been 

 so seen; but I have collected in Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Buckinghamshire and 

 Suffolk, and I can confidently affirm, that, as far as my acquaintance with those 

 counties extends, G. Rhamni has never been on the wing in June or July. It lies 

 with the advocates of *' double-brooded" to show that it has not only been seen, but 

 seen in fine condition during those months. If their proof in this respect fail, the 

 question, as it appears to me, is set at rest. Mr. Stain ton asks, " Do not the hyber- 

 nated females lay eggs in the spring? do not these eggs produce larvae which feed up 

 in May, and furnish the perfect insect in June? &c," and adds, "I pause for an 

 answer to these inquiries." He has my answer, that i" never saw the insect on the 

 wing in the month of June, though I do not deny that others may. With regard to 

 the circumstance so strenuously urged, and apparently so confidently relied upon, by 

 Mr. Bree and Mr. Hawker, that fine specimens are seen in April or earlier, what has 

 this to say to the question. " single or double-brooded ? " Do they call these the first 

 brood ? Brilliant specimens may be taken in the spring; but, though I have captured 

 dozens, and seen hundreds on the wing at that season, I have never been fortunate 

 em 'Ugh to lake one worth placing in my cabinet. Conceding the fact, however, 

 nothing can more easily be accounted for. As Mr. Doubleday truly remarks, numbers 

 become quiescent very soon after they have emerged from the pupa state, and appear 

 in spring almost as fresh as when first hatched. In corroboration of this, I may 

 mention the following fact:— Walking out about a fortnight since, I saw a number of 

 pup£B ol V;iih ssa Uriieae, and look home about a dozen : on the 27th of last month one 

 ol them produced the insert, about six o'clock in the evening: th.it night there was a 

 pretty sharp frost, and the insect became apparently torpid: from that date, up to the 





