388 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



the probability of their being bred in the immediate neighbourhood. I 

 refer more particularly to the Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Sphinx convolvuli), 

 which visited all the honeysuckle then in flower upon various porches and 

 summerhouses in the neighbourhood, and these flowers evidently were the 

 only ones which they visited. They came with some regularity at dusk ; 

 this was, I think, what may be called their first flight. They would 

 suddenly appear as winged phantoms, dart to the flower, poise on vibrating 

 wings, their long proboscis thrust into the tube of the flower as they drank 

 its nectar. During the succeeding three weeks from the time when they 

 were first observed very many were seen, and I find from my notes that 

 two dozen fell victims to the net. The point of interest is, Are these 

 insects bred in the district in which they are taken, or are they immi- 

 grants ? The food-plant is common in the neighbourhood, but, though 

 carefully sought for year after year, neither the larvae nor the pupae have 

 ever been taken. To the question whether the moth ever migrates or not, 

 I think I may reply in the affirmative. Some years ago Mr. Philip Loten, 

 of Easington, recorded the fact 'that one autumn many of these moths 

 were picked up dead on the high-water mark between the Spurn and 

 Easington; numbers were seen in this way and noted. There can be no 

 doubt that these were immigrants which had dropped into the sea on 

 failing to cross it. This year has been everywhere notable for the Admiral 

 Butterfly, but the numbers on the Spurn Point were remarkable, and 

 must, I feel sure, have been added to by migratory flights of considerable 

 dimensions. I have myself seen butterflies crossing the North Sea, during 

 a voyage from Sweden to Hull some few years ago, when passing over the 

 Dogger Bank. The species then noticed was the Red Admiral in some 

 numbers, where they would be probably about 300 miles from the nearest 

 land and were heading west. Many small birds were passing the steamer 

 at the same time, and in some instances were trying to catch the insects en 

 route. It seems to me that there can be no doubt that if small Noctuae 

 like Plusia gamma, and butterflies can cross the North Sea, the powerful- 

 flying Sphinx moths have (in fine weather) no difficulty in crossing the 

 ocean in a few hours' time. — H. Benbelack Hewetson (11, Hanover 

 Square, Leeds). 



Insect Migration. — With reference to your interesting article on the 

 migration of butterflies, I append extracts from my note-book in Ceylon. 

 The butterfly is that figured by you on page 337, Catophaga galena, and 

 very similar to our common Cabbage Butterfly : — In the mouth of 

 November, at Colombo, a strong north wind blows daily along the sea-coast, 

 at which season clouds of white butterflies appear flying in a continual 

 stream, extending far inland for days and weeks. They are all flying from 

 the south and in the eye of the wind, and the stronger the wind blows the 

 more rapid is their flight. I never witnessed this fact without the greatest 



