254 



[March 



On the 24th of September, 1868, 1 was collecting in a lucerne field five miles 

 from Canterbury and three from Faversham, and while kneeling down to pin a 

 specimen of C. Edv.sa^ I saw C. Hyale hanging downwards from a stalk of lucerne 

 and drying its wings. On being disturbed it flew about a yard and settled again, 

 upon which I took it, and found its wings to be so soft and limp that I should not 

 have thought it would have been able to fly at all. Soon after this I took two 

 more C. Hyale, flying heavily, and found, in both cases, that their wings were soft 

 and limp, they having evidently come out the same morning. I may further add, 

 that the entire week before the 24th had been dull and gloomy, and though having 

 visited that field nearly every day, I had not seen a single specimen of C. Edusa or 

 C. Hyale. I have since found that two days afterwards a friend of mine visited the 

 same spot, and took several 0. Hyale, but all rather worn and dull. Those I took 

 on the 24th were the most perfect specimens I have seen, the pink fringes to the 

 wings being especially perfect. — Y. B. Lewes, 76, High Street, Hampstead, Dec, 

 1868. 



Note on Sphinx convolvuli. — In the December number of this Magazine the 

 Eev. J. Hellins has favoured us with some " Observations on the occurrence of 

 Sphinx convohmli in Great Britain." Here, as in Devonshire, a large number of 

 this fine insect occurred last year in August and September. His very full and 

 interesting facts leave me nothing to record so far as last season is concerned, for 

 his dates of its appearing and disappearing very nearly agree with my own ; and 

 here also " the good and battered specimens occurred together throughout the whole 

 period but it may interest Mr. Hellins and others to learn that in the year 1861 

 a fine and nearly perfect S. convoVvuli was found, on the morning of October 19th, 

 in a torpid state, near some flower-beds, upon a lawn in this neighbourhood. The 

 insect was sent to me, and, when it had been for some time in a warm room, revived 

 and flapped its wings. This is a later date than the insect appears to have been 

 seen by either Mr. Hellins or Mr. D'Orville. — E. S. Hutchinson, Grantsfield, Leo- 

 minster, February, 1869. 



Note on effects of mild vnnter. — Is it not unusual for the larvae of Pieris rapce to 

 occur in the winter ? One was taken in my garden on the 29th of last December, 

 and became a healthy but very small pupa on January 3rd. Doubtless the more 

 than common mildness of the season accounts for its late appearance, as well as 

 for the fact that an imngo of Eup. alhipunctata emerged on January 14th, and a fine 

 $ A. prodromaria on the 29th, quite without forcing. — Id. 



Early appearance of Satumia carjnnt. —Perhaps it may be worthy of notice 

 that on the 5th of the present month I bred Satumia carpini. It had been kept 

 in a room facing north, which had not had any fire in the whole winter ; whilst, as 

 a rule, the window was open.— Fbank Phillips, Forest Hill, Idth February, 1869. 



Acanthosoma; the beginning of the end. — From the concluding paragraph of 

 Mr. Marshall's paper, referring to other matters " mentioned by me, and the 

 editorial note, referring to "other points " {ante, p. 209), I was under the inipres- 



