5206 Insects. 



Battersby, of Torquay, who has kindly examined the shell: should it prove equally 

 new to science, Skenea tricarinata would be a very appropriate designation. It maybe 

 interesting to some of your readers to know that I met with several fine specimens of 

 the rare Crenella costulata in rock pools in Mounts Bay, and also Modiola phaseolina 

 in some abundance in the same locality. — W. Webster ; Upton Hall, near Birkenhead, 

 July 21, 1856. 



*' Do the Males of certain of our Lepidopterous Insects" fyc, SfC (see Zool. 5149). 

 — Under the above title Mr. Stone gives the entomological world something new, but, 

 unfortunately, far from being a fact. In the first place, I deny the assertion that any 

 Lepidopterous chrysalis, female, attracts the perfect male : it is contrary to common 

 sense. Would the male wait till the female expanded her wings? Certainly not: 

 females call the males before they come. As regards prodromaria, I have taken a 

 great number of specimens during the last few years, and reared as many others from 

 the ovae. That Mr. Stone found a worn male at the foot of an oak is ever so likely, 

 and that he found a female there afterwards was merely a case of good luck ; and no 

 doubt, had he visited the same tree the following afternoons, he might have taken 

 both males and females newly emerged from the chrysalis. I have done this for 

 several days in succession ; and why ? If we find a prodromaria fresh from the 

 chrysalis, a brood must be about. I have often taken four or more specimens stretch- 

 ing on a tree. A female prodromaria, like other species, does not call the males un- 

 less she is inclined ; and, moreover, the males are not always inclined to come at her 

 desire. I have taken several females into the woods at dusk. They have called and 

 waited till 2 a. m. before any males made their appearance, and sometimes none at 

 that time. This season many males came soon after dusk on a moonlight night. 

 Like sugaring, it is an uncertain game. The best plan is to take the males into the 

 wood, pin them on a tree away from the outside, or the bats will certainly make a 

 meal of them ; visit them the next morning, and you will find most of them in coitu. 

 Female prodromaria, like other species, may not be inclined to call the males. The 

 day they emerge from the chrysalis this is not at all uncommon. Mr. Stone is so 

 eloquent in describing the loves of iusects and animals, that I am sorry he was not 

 present with me, a few days ago, in a field where M. Artemis abounds. He would 

 there have seen a male and female in coitu, and three or four males clustered upon 

 them. Why they were so foolish, perhaps Mr. Stone could have explained with more 

 delight to the readers of the ' Zoologist ' than I can. I think it was a case of ex- 

 haustion ; for I observed several females, like Mr. Stone's hedgehog, dodging the 

 males. The female evidently had not met with the one that suited her fancy ; and 

 some skill was required to evade the attentions of three or four males at the same 

 time.— R. S. Edleston ; July 8, 1856. 



Early appearance of Vanessa Atalanta. — During the first week of the present 

 month I was surprised to see flying in the path on the west side of Nunhead 

 Cemetery several specimens of Vanessa Atalanta ; I saw three caught, so I have 

 no doubt of the species: I have never seen or heard of Vanessa Atalanta being out 

 so early, and therefore I think, perhaps, the fact may be worth noting. — T. Wildman; 

 Grove Place, Camberwell, July 23, 1856. 



[It is uncommon for the new brood to appear so soon, and a specimen which 



