142 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



a few notes on the 'season of 1883: — On 

 visiting Gibside on a nesting expedition on 

 April 8, I found Q. flavicornis flying abun- 

 dantly in the sun among the trees ot a young 

 plantation composed mostly of birch. I 

 found also a number at rest on the trunks 

 and twigs of the birches. On a later visit 

 about the middle of May, two or three 

 specimens of L. viretata were captured from 

 the trunks of beeches ; and at Thornley 

 wood a fine specimen of N. dictcea was 

 picked up, also a single specimen of P. 

 unguicula. Nothing of note was seen dur- 

 ing the month of June with the exception of 

 two or three specimens of E heparata. In 

 the beginning of July I saw a fine specimen 

 of Aplecta herbida taken at sugar by a friend 

 in Thornley wood. This is the first speci- 

 men I have heard of being taken in the 

 north. A specimen of A leporina was taken 

 at the same time. I also captured two worn- 

 out specimens of G papilionaria and three 

 or four V. sambucata I also netted what I 

 thought at the time a very small Albicillata, 

 but which on examination proved to be a 

 specimen of M rubiginata another species 

 which I had not previously taken. I also 

 took a few 0. populata in fine condition, 

 whilst Pyraleata was abundant. I must not 

 omit to mention the numbers of A. ulmata 

 which occurred at Gibside during this month 

 among elm. It was certainly the most 

 abundant Geometra that I have seen for 

 many years, as it literally occurred in hun- 

 dreds on the underwood, lying with out- 

 spread wings. During August I endeavoured 

 to redeem my promise to you respecting 

 Diluta, and after repeated visits I was forced 

 to admit that I had either mistimed my 

 visits or that sugar had lost its potency to 

 attract them, as not a single specimen did I 

 see. The only Noctua seen at sugar this 

 month was polyodon. I have omitted men- 

 tion in its place the numbers of P. V-aurum, 

 P. iota, and P. clirysitis at flowers in the 

 neighbourhood of Dunston, flying at dusk 



in company. P. V-aurum was certainly the 

 commonest of the three, as on looking over 

 my captures I found that V-aurum exactly 

 numbered both the others put together, 

 those two species being about equal in num- 

 bers. The specimens of lota appeared to 

 be unusually large and rich-coloured. I 

 think this is about the extent of my captures 

 for 1883. During February, 1884, I have 

 noticed R. leucopTiearia abundant, P. pilo- 

 saria at Thornley, and H. progemmaria at 

 Dunston. — T. H. Hedworth, Dunston, 

 Gateshead. 



Early Appearance of Butterflies at 

 Cambridge. — The natural result of the ex- 

 traordinarily mild winter has been the early 

 appearance of insect life. Butterflies, for 

 instance, were flying about Cambridge at a 

 time when usually frost and snow, or, at 

 least, dull, cold weather are supreme. The 

 brimstone butterfly (Goneptevyx rhamni) was 

 the earliest to wake up, and it was flying 

 about ere January was very far advanced. 

 The . peacock butterfly ( Vanessa Io ) put in 

 an appearance the third week in February, 

 and I saw the small tortoise-shell (Vanessa 

 urticce) and the small white (Pieris rapes) 

 disporting themselves merrily in the bright 

 sunshine as if they thought summer had 

 come, the former in the first week in March 

 and the latter nearer the end of the month. 

 Pieris brassica is plentiful to-day. — Albert 

 H. Waters, April 8, 1884. 



When we consider the exceptional mild- 

 ness of the past winter, one could scarcely 

 be surprised to see plants flowering and 

 insects emerging long before their due, with 

 the opening of spring. Plants especially I 

 noticed as being in flower at most abnormal 

 times, and respecting the birds, I have 

 heard them singing most gaily since last 

 November. As therefore everything in the 

 realm of nature was extremely forward, I 

 naturally expected that I might be able to 

 go " sallowing" at least a fortnight earlier 



