194 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[September 



last states that his late wife " took several examples of Deiopeia 

 pulchclla in tlie larval and perfect stages." Mr. Layard does not 

 give the date, but speaks of it being 51 years ago, which gives the 

 year 1841. Mr. South concludes that the species is probably an 

 immigrant, though not in the sense of being blown from the French 

 coast. Mr. McLachlan records (" Entomologist's Monthly Magazine," 

 Vol. XXII., p. 12,' the occurrence of a swarm of this insect, in Lat. 

 o'^ 47' N., lat. 'Ion. 32'^ 50' \\'.," — "960 miles, S.W. of the southern- 

 most of the Cape Verde Islands, from which he thinks they had been 

 blown. Capt. Renaut. who communicated this occurrence, stated 

 that there were many hundreds of them about the ship. No species 

 is more frequently brought me by seafaring friends than D. pulchella, 

 and more than once they have been captured when the vessel was over 

 300 miles from land. It is evidently an insect with strong migratory 

 propensities. 



Since the above was in type I have been favoured with a 

 communication from Mr. Layard on the subject, in extension of the 

 note in " The Field." Several examples of the larva were found, and 

 wliat was more satisfactory the perfect insect was bred. The number 

 was not large, as, owing to the curiosity of a servant girl, several of 

 the larvas escaped. Mr. Layard also mentions that the larva was 

 carefully figured and the drawing sent out to him in Canada, and he 

 believ^es the sketch is still in existence, though he was unable to find 

 it before writing to me. 



Plusia moneta. — It would almost seem that this pretty Phisia had 

 established itself in England, several specimens having been taken 

 in the Southern Counties. The most interesting record is by Mr. 

 R. A. Dallas Beeching, who took three specimens at Tunbridge Wells 

 on the iith, 12th, and 14th July, at light not far from the place where 

 he took one m 1890. Light appears to have great attraction for it, it 

 will be remembered the first specimen was taken in a moth trap, at 

 light. 



\'ANESSA C-ALBUM. — From the report of the South London 

 Entomological Society at p. 197, it would appear that some doubts 

 are yet entertained whether there arc one or two broods of this species. 

 The doubt is probably kept up by the want of personal acquaintance 

 with the butterfly and also from the statement in Newman's "British 

 Butterflies," p. 50, where he says ''An idea seems prevalent that there ll 

 are two broods in the year — the first emerging from the chrysalis in |' 

 June and July, the second in August and September. I think this is i 

 a mistake ; I ha^-e been unable to obtain satisfactory evidence of any 

 caterpillars prior to those so abundant in the winter months about the 

 season of hop-picking." A few years ago I was able, through the 

 great kindness of ?\Irs. Hutchinson, of Leominster, to investigate the 



