Insects. 4129 



whose melancholy death all who take an interest in Natural History 

 have so recently had to deplore, published in Loudon's ' Magazine 

 of Natural History' (viii. 494), as found by himself in the vicinity of 

 Henley-on-Thames. 



In conclusion, I would add that I shall be happy to assist, as far as 

 lies in my power, any gentleman who may wish to exchange our 

 marine for inland shells. I also have a few desiderata among the lat- 

 ter ; and should feel extremely obliged to any one who could favour 

 me with specimens of Pisidium cinereum, Vertigo angustior, Clausilia 

 Rolphii, or Amphipepla involuta. 



Alfred Merle Norman. 



Clevedon, Somerset, October 10, 1853. 



Note on the supposed late Appearance of Insects. — In the report of the Proceedings 

 of the Society of British Entomologists for July last (Zool. 4007), Mr. Harding, the 

 President, observed, in proof of the backwardness of the season, as shown by the late 

 appearance of many kinds of insects, that " he took some line specimens of Semiophora 

 gothica at the end of May ;'' and as he evidently considered this a late period for the 

 occurrence of this species, it may not be uninteresting to entomologists to know that I 

 myself took at sugar, in Berewood, Dorsetshire, on the evening of Tuesday, the 19th 

 of June last, six specimens of this same insect, in as beautiful condition as if they had 

 just escaped from the chrysalis. Now, although many kinds of insects are accelerated 

 or retarded in their appearance by the fineness or warmth of the season, or the con- 

 trary, yet this is by no means universally the case ; although, no doubt, if we were tho- 

 roughly acquainted with the economy of all insects, we should readily perceive why 

 this variation of seasons should influence some without affecting others. For instance, 

 Heliothis Dipsacea, which occurs in some profusion on different parts of our heaths in 

 Dorsetshire, appeared at precisely the same time as I had observed it in former sea- 

 sons, and in about the same numbers as usual. I may here mention that I have al- 

 ways found this insect remarkably constant to about one time of appearance, never 

 having seen it before the 12th of July, or after the end of the first week in August, 

 although I have looked for it constantly, both before the former time, and after the 

 latter. Pamphila Actaeon also I found true to its time this season, even to a day, and 

 in about the usual profusion, although, as the weather was very unfavourable during 

 my two days' visit to its locality, I did not procure anything like the number of speci- 

 mens that might have been obtained in fine bright weather, though what I did get 

 (nine dozen) were in much finer condition than they would have been if the sun had 

 shone continuously, and enabled them to exert their active and pugnacious propensi- 

 ties to the detriment of their plumage. Anarta Myrtilli, and several other heath spe- 

 cies, such as Ericetaria, caliginosa, &c, all kept to their usual times of appearance ; 

 while Plusia Gamma, generally so common on the heath-blossoms, was not only much 

 later than usual, but when it did appear, was about the rarest insect on the heath at 

 that time (the end of July). Hipparchia Semele and Polyommatus Mgon appeared 

 at about the same time as usual, and in their ordinary numbers. Triphaena pronuba 

 XI. 3 G 



