234 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



great length of time, hybernating larvre 

 must be protected from insectiverous, 

 birds, &c. Long continued rains are 

 likely to destroy insect life in all its 

 stages. These and a few more general 

 suggestions may be made, but beyond 

 this little or nothing is known or even 

 guessed at. Our readers will be 

 wondering what all these desultory 

 remarks are to end in. We often 

 complain of a dearth of records of cap- 

 ture. Perhaps the reason sometimes 

 is that no captures were made, and our 

 idea to-day is that if our readers 

 would send us an account of their 

 want of success at times, it might be 

 of more value than a record of very 

 wonderful captures. In sending such 

 an account of failure we would suggest 

 that the force and direction of the 

 wind, the temperature, the barometer 

 be all borne in mind ; that notice be 

 taken whether the sky be clear or 

 overcast, or any other meteorological 

 conditions that might be noteworthy. 

 Do not let our readers start off in 

 affright at all these suggestions. If it 

 is too much trouble to find out all, it 

 can be no trouble to notice some of 

 them. Nor must they expect great 

 and immediate results from such 

 observations. For many many years, 

 observers have been noticing and re- 

 cording various matters affecting the 

 weather, and we are only now begin- 

 ning to have attempts made to foretell 

 what will be a few hours in advance. 

 It may be many years hence ere we 

 may be able to say to-morrow night 

 will be a good one for sugaring, next 



week will be productive at light, and 

 so on. But if the observations be 

 made and recorded in sufficient 

 numbers the time is sure to come 

 when these prognostications can be 

 made with more or less certainty. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



All communications to be sent to J. E. Robsox, Bellerby 

 Terrace, West Hartlepool ; or to S. L. MoSLEf, Beau 

 niont Park, Huddersfield. 



We have to thank Miss Angelina Kerry, of 

 Harwich, for a specimen of a young Water 

 hen in the down. 



| J. K. — Are you sure you are right ? All the 

 lanestri's we have had, broke off" the end of 

 the cocoon as we have shown in the figure 

 We can send you one for examination if 



; desired. We were looking through the 

 plates to Roesels " Der monatlich heraus- 

 gigebenen Insecten-Belustigung erster 



j Theil," the day we received your letter, 



I and saw that he figured the cocoon of this 

 species in exactly the same way as in our 

 plate. 



G. T. Porritt, F. L. S., is thanked for a 

 larva of T. bctula sent for figuring. 



EXCHANGE. 



Wanted fine imagines of A. cmtccgi, A. 

 selene, M. Cinxia and Athalia, V. polychloros. 

 C. Bavus, S. Algeria, N. lucina, T. bctuU, and 

 pvuni. I will make a good return. — John E, 

 i RoBSONj Bellerby Terrace, West Hartlepool. 



Imagines of Abraxas ulmata for exchange. 

 Desiderata very numerous. — George A 

 Harker, Waterloo, near, Liverpool. 



Larvte of Agrutis valligcra. Desiderata 

 numerous. — T. F. Tritschler, Alliance 

 Street, Hartlepool. 



Wanted a pair of Swifts in the flesh.— 

 S. L. Mosley, Huddersfield. 



