in 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



up some bred specimens of N. zonarla and L. muttistrigaria % the latter having 

 been fed up on hedge bedstraw, they were rather small and dark. The sub- 

 ject for discussion was A. papkia, and Mr. Russell, who has had great ex- 

 perience of this species in the larval state, gave many interesting details of 

 its habits in the New Forest, which is, perhaps, its head- quarters in this 

 country. He stated that one of the most marked peculiarities of this species 

 is the extraordinary activity of the chrysalis ; they are found on palings, 

 trunks of trees and under holly leaves, and when the sunbeams fall upon them 

 they agitate themselves in a very violent manner, making a very perceptible 

 noise at the same time. This is equally the case by night if the glare of a 

 lantern be turned upon them, and Mr. Russell employed this method to ob- 

 tain them, the chrysalis immediately betraying itself if the lantern was turned 

 upon it. Mr. Sheldon also spoke at some length regarding this species, 

 which he had met with in Derbyshire and Merionethshire, the specimens from 

 the latter county being larger than any others he had ever seen, Mr. Harper 

 stated that the best time to catch paphia was early in the morning, and men- 

 tioned that he had at times captured a great number of the var. valezina. 

 Mr. Anderson gave his experience of the species, and testified to its profusion 

 in the rides near Lyndhurst, and also mentioned that he had taken it at Box 

 Hill. Mr. Huckett mentioned having seen the species some years ago in 

 Epping Forest, and after some further remarks from Mr. Pearson this very 

 instructive discussion closed. 



At the following meeting, Mr. E. Cooper took the chair, and after the 

 usual business had been proceeded with, introduced the discussion on Colias 

 hyale, giving his experiences of the species in 1868, the year in which it was 

 so abundant. After a vigorous outline of its habits, Mr. Cooper proceeded 

 to attack the " blown over " theory in regard to this and other species, and 

 asked why it was that in the case of the present species in 1868 it appeared 

 all over the kingdom simultaneously, instead of being first recorded from the 

 coast and gradually spreading inland. Mr. Sheldon and Mr. Russell both 

 stated that there could be no doubt that insects do migrate, and as a proof 

 Mr. Russell mentioned that a friend of his had seen a large number of moths 

 flying in nearly mid Atlantic, one of which was captured and proved to be a 

 species of hawk moth ; and Dr. Sequeira stated that when he was going to 

 Australia, several hundred moths, resembling our S. carpini, settled on the 

 ship before they had sighted the Australian coast. Mr. Cooper, replying, said 

 he did not dispute that some insects do migrate — the locusts being well known 

 instances — but he thought the theory did not apply to 0. Edusa and hyale. 

 After remarks from nearly all the members the meeting concluded, leaving 

 this vexed question still in the same position. — Ernest Anderson, Secretary. 



