THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



37 



;ual. The hybernating larvce of such species as 

 .Grossulariata i Z. Filipendulce and others though 

 ;ry late, 'were much more plentiful than in ordi- 

 iry years, while the Autumn larvae of such as if. 

 leracea, and Fisi.A. Lubricipeda, and Menthas- 

 i, swarmed in every suitable and unsuitable place 

 id might have been collected by thousands. I 

 ive said nothing of the first n?med insects, though 

 rvse of Gamma were so plentiful that my boys 

 eked up over one hundred, in the space of three 

 • four square yards, on the weeds in a field of 

 irley. I have not seen any suggestion, aecount- 

 g for this abnormal abundance. May it not have 

 isen from the diminished number of small birds, so 

 any of which were killed off by the severe winter. 



this be so, we may expect 1880 to be an un- 

 ;ually good year for insects. 



While the abundance of common species may be 

 ius noted, the late period of the year at which 

 r ery thing appeared is also worthy of comment, 

 had that most beautiful larva, C. Exolet a, brought 

 e on 15 September when the imago should almost 

 ive been out. Of course it has not emerged. 

 . Populi were abundant in October, in the middle 

 which month I also picked up a larva of P. 

 amma, with the moths flying about the same place 

 . hundreds, and so late as November 3rd, I saw 

 Dth Lubricipeda and Menthastri creeping about, 

 f Autumn insects proper, I have seen none nor 

 iard of any, the Xanthias, Sword-grasses and 

 :hers have been conspicuous by their absence, 

 et on the other hand, the species that are due a 

 ttle later, have appeared here true to time. If. 

 xyacanthce, was plentiful at the end of October, 

 . Dilutata, all through the month. Now (15 

 ovember ) if. Aurantiaria, and C. Brumata, are 

 tting on every gas lamp and swarming about the 

 edges at dusk. Altogether it has been a strange 

 jason, from whieh we ought to learn much. I 

 Dmetimes think we could learn more from our 

 ommoner species if they were more closely ob- 

 erved, but most of Entomologists are so anxious 

 } obtain rare, insects for their collections, or for 

 xchange, that common species are unnoticed, yet 

 •om their very abundance and constant occurrence 

 ley give greater opportunities for observation, 

 tian do those that only appear sparingly or at 

 itervals. 



John E, Robson. 



West Hartlepool. 



WINTER. 



Winter is upon us again. What work is there 

 now for the outdoor naturalist ? With the earth 

 covered with a mantle of snow, with every pool 

 and stream frozen over, but little outdoor work can 

 be done by the entomologist. A week ago, the 

 little winter moths were fluttering about the leafless 

 hedges, or trying to immolate themselves at the 

 gas-lamps. Where are they now ? Has the frost 

 killed off those that had emerged, or do they remain 

 torpid during severe weather? It is certain that 

 they can resist intense cold ; and as soon as a thaw 

 sets in, if only for a day, the moths appear as 

 abundantly as before. Mrs. Hutchinson recorded 

 I an interesting observation in the "Entomologists' 

 Monthly Magazine " for March last. While 

 searching for ivy for Christmas decorations, a 

 C. Brumata was found. On being disturbed, it 

 flew away, and settled on the snow, on which it 

 walked. The frost at the time was very severe, 

 yet the insect did not seem to be torpid at all. 

 Entomologists appear to be almost as much, children 

 of summer as is the butterfly. Can some of them 

 not brave the inclement weather, and try to find 

 cut something about their special favourites that 

 has hitherto passed unobserved ? The ornithologist 

 does not stay indoors because the frost is severe, or 

 the snow falling. While hard frosts compel inland 

 birds to seek the seacoasts, strong gales will drive 

 ashore many seabirds ; and, at a time like this, the 

 gunner located near the sea, often falls in with 

 species he has never or rarely met with before. 

 But the acquisition of specimens is not the only, 

 nor even the chief good to be derived from Natural 

 History. You should observe the habits of animals, 

 and their wonderful adaptation to the necessities 

 of their lives. You will find in such studies great 

 interest, and the more you observe, the more will 

 you be surprised to find how much their is to 

 observe. 



I took a walk, the other day, along the 

 beach, on an exposed part of our coast. 

 The North- East wind was blowing with great fury, 

 and the waves were rolling in immense masses of 

 foam. I had seen similar storms before, — I had 

 seen ships driven ashore in such a sea ; watched 

 them for hours struggling against the waves ; had 

 even assisted with the rocket apparatus in saving 

 the crew ; more than once I had seen all human 

 aid vain, and the noble vessel broken up in a few 



