254 [March 
On the 24tli of September, 1868, I waa collecting in a lucerne field five miles 
from Canterbury and three from Faversham, and while kneeling down to pin a 
epeoimen of 0. Edusa, I saw C. Hyale hanging downwards from a stalk of lucerne 
and drying its wings. On being disturbed it flew about a yard and settled again, 
upon which I took it, and found its wings to bo so soft and limp that I should not 
have thought it would have been able to fly at all. Soon after this I took two 
naore C. Hyale, flying heavily, and found, in both cases, that their wings were soft 
and limp, they having evidently come out the same morning. I may further add, 
that the entire week before the 24th had been dull and gloomy, and though having 
visited that field nearly every day, I had not seen a single specimen of C. Edusa or 
C. Hyale. I have since found that two days afterwards a friend of mine visited the 
same spot, and took several C. Hyale, but all rather worn and dull. Those I took 
on the 24.th were the most perfect specimens I have seen, the pink fringes to the 
wings being especially perfect. — Y. B. Lewes, 76, High Street, Hampatead, Dec, 
1868. 
Note on Sphinx convolvuU. — In the December number of this Magazine the 
Rev. J. Hellins has favoured us with some " Observations on the occurrence of 
SpMnw convohnili in Great Britain." Here, as in Devonshire, a large number of 
this fine insect occurred last year in August and September. His very full and 
interesting facta leave me nothing to record so far as last season is concerned, for 
his dates of its appearing and disappearing very nearly agree with my own ; and 
here also " the good and battered specimens occurred together throughout the whole 
period ;" but it may interest Mr. Hellins and othera to learn that in the year 1861 
a fine and nearly perfect S. convolvuU was found, on the morning of October 19th, 
in a torpid state, near some flower-beds, upon a lawn in this neighbourhood. The 
insect waa sent to me, and, when it had been for some time in a warm room, revived 
and flapped its winga. Thia is a later date than the insect appears to have been 
seen by either Mr. Hellins or Mr. D'Orville.— E. S. Hutchinson, Grantsfield, Leo- 
minster, February, 1869. 
Note on effects of mild winter. — Is it not unusual for the larvae of Pieris rapce to 
occur in the winter ? One was taken in my garden on the 29th of last December, 
and became a healthy but very small pupa on January 3rd. Doubtless the more 
than common mildness of the season accounts for its late appearance, as well as 
for the fact that an imago of Eup. alhipunctata emerged on January 14th, and a fine 
? A. prodromaria on the 29th, quite without forcing. — Id. 
Early appearance of Saturnia carpini. — Perhaps it may be worthy of notice 
that on the 5th of the present month I bred Saturnia carpini. It had been kept 
in a room facing north, which had not had any fire in the whole winter ; whilst, as 
a rule, the window was open. — Fkank Phillips, Forest Hill, 13(/i February, 1869. 
Acanthosotna ; the beginning of the end. — From the concluding paragraph of 
Mr. Marshall's paper, referring to " other matters " mentioned by me, and the 
editorial note, referring to "other points " {ante, p. 209), I was under the inipres- 
