''■' 175 
Second broods ?— August 29th I took, in a wood near Polegate, specimens of 
eUtwa Athalia and Sesia cynipiformis ? . Is it not very late for both these 
iecies ? — Id. 
Obs&-vations on the occurrence of Colias HyaZe in Britcdn.—The occurrence of 
>lias Hyale in such unusual numbers and localities this year seems naturally to 
ggest the idea cf a migration of this species, which, however, does not seem to 
confirmed by the accounts of its appearance in different localities. 
For instance, on page 107 of the present volume of the Magazine, a corres- 
ndent states that he took Hyale in fine condition at Margate on or before July 
th, and that m a few days afterwards it was common, and by August 7th so worn 
t as to be hardly worth catching. 
At Haslemere, thirty miles inland, and at a considerable elevation above the 
-el of the sea, the first specimens were met with on August 5th, beautifully fine ; 
d others from day to day until August 15th, all in good condition. After this 
be the weather became rough, and they disappeared. 
On August 31st Mrs. Hutchinson tells me a specimen was taken by her son at 
ominster, which, when first seen, was perfectly fine, and was OEly injured a 
;le in catching. 
Now, if this had been a migration of Hyale, and it had become worn so early 
August 7th on the south-east coast, it could not well have appeared in fine con- 
ion at Haslemere from August 5th to 15th, much less at Leominster on August 
It. Neither, for the same reason, could the specimens taken inland be stragglers 
m its usual breeding places on the coast. 
On the other hand, it is absurd to suppose that eggs or pupse could have laid 
years waiting for an exceptionably hot summer to bring them to perfection, even 
.posing that the clover fields, in which they appear to feed, were permanent, 
bead of being sown in rotation with other crops. 
The only way, therefore, in which I can explain its appearance in such unusual 
I widely separated localities, is by supposing that when engaged in egg-laying, 
female must forsake the ordinary habit of the species, of flying up and dowJ 
> or two clover or lucerne fields for hours and, indeed, days together, and fly as 
an, very rapidly across the country, laying a few eggs here and there in the 
lous clover fields over which it passes, and that the larv^, in a favourable i e 
and dry summer, feed up rapicUy, escaping their worst enemy in this climate- 
lid, and so the perfect insects are found, earlier or later according to the climate 
, two, or three in a clover field in the inland districts, and in large numbers in 
Be coast districts in which the insect usually occurs. 
Thus I am compelled, contrary to my will and usual practice, to offer a theory 
.xplanation of this unusual visitation, and can only hope that it will be found 
n.ately, to be borne out by facts ; but I can give one fact shghtly to the point. ' 
A young friend of mine, Master Stuart Nicholson, of Liphook, near Haslemere 
«red me a female which he had taken there on the railway embankment, and 
that he disturbed it from a small hollow, and that its win^s were not sufficiently 
iJened to enable it to fly far, so that it flew heavily veiy short distances and wal 
ii caught; and the appearance of the specimen, its exquisitelv perfect condition 
the brilliancy of its reddish fringes, are strong confirmatio'n of Ins statement' 
ertainly never could have flown far. 
