THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



47 



piles of faggots outside it. Upon the removal of these heaps the bones of 

 about forty or fifty Rabbits were discovered. 



The Bittern (Ardea stellaris). — This bird once so common, but now so 

 rare in England is not quite extinct yet. One was shot at Houghton Whale 

 in Huntingdonshire, on November 27th, 1884. — Albert Waters. 



Berwick in his " Quadrepeds" mentions the agility of Weasels in ascending 

 walls, perhaps some of your readers are as ignorant as I was of their tree 

 climbing powers. — R. J. Attye, Stratford-on-Avon. 



Hybernia Rtjpicapraria. — I find that by referring to my note book for 

 1881, that although the winter then was of a most severe description, this 

 moth was seen by me in profusion, and it was possible to have taken almost 

 any number. I have remarked, however, that I have never seen it flying 

 while the ground was covered with snow, and a sharp frost prevailed. I am 

 inclined to think it seeks shelter in stacks, or sheds, or outhouses at such 

 times, as 1 have frequently seen it in the latter. Of course, this can only 

 apply to male moths : where the wingless females get to I do not know, 

 unless they crawl down to the ground. — Albert W t aters, Cambridge. 



Winter Moths. — My observations last year on these moths were as 

 follows: — Hybernia rupicapraria first seen January 7th; Hybernia progem- 

 maria " abundant" February 7th; Hybernia leucophearia February 18th ; 

 Hybernia defoliaria October 10th; Cheimatobia brumata October 18th.— 

 Albert Waters, Cambridge. 



The Genus Hybernia. — In your leading article of last month, you most 

 truly refer to the great interest attached to this genus of moths. It is not 

 the object of this note to attempt to answer the queries you there set forth, 

 but merely to give, as you invite, a few of my observations on the subject. 

 As I write the snow is lying on the ground, and everything speaks of winter, 

 and yet within this last week C. brumata and H. rupicapraria have been 

 flying along almost every hedgerow, and defoliaria is equally abundant on 

 the pailings. Rupicapraria emerged with us at its usual date, January 1st, 

 and was fairly common, but I think the frost and snow of this last few days 

 must have proved too much for it, but really there is no telling, for on the 

 6th inst., during a temporary change of the wind, I found several hanging 

 on the whitethorn buds in a small thicket, the ponds at the same the same 

 time being thick with ice, and the remains of a snow storm being still on the 

 ground, but they were all males, the females not having turned up as yet, It 

 seems to me that the Hibernidcs, unlike most lepidoptera, are not influenced 

 by the heat or cold, but appear each species to have an allotted period in 

 which to remain in pupa, which time being expired, they emerge, no matter 

 if be hot or cold. Some larvae of defoliaria reared from young larvae, emerged 



