THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
71 
whole genus ( Lithosia ) is very variable.” 
This is a grave error, and, put in an 
authoritative way, is likely to mislead 
our young naturalists, though of course 
old hands who have good collections 
would only take it for quantum valeat. 
Yours obediently, 
C. S. Gregson. 
Spring Hill, Stanley ; 
Nov. 19, 1860. 
“ FRENCH EGGS.” 
To the Editor of the ‘ Intelligencer ' 
Dear Mr. Editor, — I do not know 
when I have felt more surprise than on 
perusing, in last Saturday’s ‘ Intelli- 
gencer’ (p. 55), Mr. C. S. Gregson’s 
proposition that the “ Clouded Yellow’s 
and other eggs are imported in clover 
(and especially lucerne) seeds.” 
So good an observer as Mr. Gregson 
has no doubt some reasons for advancing 
a theory at once so novel and so subver- 
sive of received opinion ; and I therefore 
venture, in the name of the readers of 
the ‘ Intelligencer,’ to call upon the 
writer to give us something of the parti- 
culars and authority for his statement, — 
a statement which seems to me calcu- 
lated to shake more than ever the faith 
of those who, like myself, have hitherto 
believed in the truly British origin of our 
specimens. 
It may be almost needless to ask, how 
the eggs came to be attached to the 
seeds ? how they have borne the opera- 
tions of thrashing, carriage, sowing, & c. ? 
or how it is that Colias Eclusa has been 
so long known as a British insect? and 
whether its appearance in Britain was 
coincident with the introduction of lu- 
cerne and clover crops ? The sceptical 
might further inquire whether Mr. Greg- 
son has ever seeu the eggs of Colias 
Edusa among lucerne or other seeds ? 
For my own part I must confess that, 
in my occasional excursions to the Isle 
of Wight, where I have seen the insect 
Hying in profusion over every Down and 
chalk-pit, the question of its foreign ori- 
gin never occurred. Certainly lucerne is 
not at all generally cultivated in the Isle 
of Wight : indeed, does not Colias Edusa 
resort to the clover and lucerne fields 
simply on accouut of the scent and honey 
of the blossoms ? at least I have not met 
with any author who mentions that its 
food consists of clover and lucerne only. 
But it must be allowed that Mr. Greg- 
son’s proposition is only an example of 
the length to which may be carried the 
practice recently introduced of disputing 
the authenticity and title of several 
British insects, whose foreign origin it 
would be most interesting to prove ; but 
the onus probandi surely lies rather with 
those who challenge, than with those 
who maintain, the probably indigenous 
origin of such insects as are continually 
captured in a wild state. 
Yours, &c., 
A Briton. 
ENTOMOLOGICAL HOROSCOPE FOR 
1861. 
To the Editor of the 1 Intelligencer .* 
Sir, — I have no desire to set up in 
Zadkiel’s prophetic line of business, but 
there are a few entomological points in- 
volved in the peculiar season just over 
which it may be worth while briefly to 
consider, as they will probably have some 
effect on next year’s crop of insects. 
The present year is admitted on all 
hands to have been unusually deficient 
