296 
THE GARDENERS’ AND NATURALISTS’ CALENDAR FOR JANUARY. 
ing, but, from some cause of alarm or from mere wan¬ 
tonness, they will again go through nearly the same 
freaks ; and it is generally quite dark before the last 
flock has settled down. During the whole of this time 
they keep up a most incessant chattering: an old pol¬ 
lard is at times selected as a roosting-place, but it is 
invariably in the vicinity of water. 
The Rooks (Corvus frugilegus ) and Wood-pigeons 
(Columba palumbus ) choose situations much alike—the 
hare branches of trees being the spots they select, with 
this difference: the Wood-pigeons are always found 
higher and close to the stem of the tree, the Rooks 
selecting some of the lower branches and perching 
nearer the extremities. The Skylark, as long as the 
ground is uncovered with snow, prefers meadow land 
to any other situation; but when the snow lies thick 
upon the ground, they appear to have no choice, passing 
the night in any situation that is a little sheltered, 
where they may be seen on a moonlight night closely 
seated together.' II. Whitely, Woolwich, Kent. 
Entomology. —In our last month’s notice upon 
insects {ante. p. 248), we more particularly noticed the 
hybernation of insects, either in the egg or pupa state, 
and these from the quiescent condition of the animal 
during their continuance, naturally appear to be those 
states the most likely to be undergone during a period 
when the amount of temperature is so low as to prevent 
active life, and when in fact the food of vast numbers of 
these diminutive creatures is not in existence. Nature, 
however, has determined some variations from this 
apparently most natural state of existence, and we 
accordingly find that there are some kinds of insects 
which pass the winter in the larvae state, whilst others 
occur as perfect insects, but for the most part are in a 
state of inactivity. 
The insects which pass the winter in the larvae state 
are those which at that period of their lives reside in 
structures more or less remote from the open atmos¬ 
phere. Many of these exist as larvae for a longer period 
than a year, as, for instance, that of the Common Cock- 
Chaffer, Goat Moth, &c. These either burrow to great 
depths under ground, or are protected from the cold hy 
residing within the stumps of trees, rotten wood, &c. 
Other caterpillars, which are hatched late in the autumn, 
likewise pass the winter in that state, secreting them¬ 
selves in some sheltered hole or cavity, or preparing 
artificial habitations for themselves. Thus the caterpillar 
of the Goat Moth forms a covering of pieces of wood, 
fastened together, and lined with silk, whilst the cater¬ 
pillar of the Tortrix angustiorana finds its way to the 
shelter afforded by the eye of pears, where it feeds on 
the rind till spring enables it to resume its more ordi¬ 
nary feast of leaves. Many aquatic insects also pass 
the winter in the larvse state, burrowing into the sand 
at the bottom of ponds, &c., whilst a few terrestrial 
species form little societies, such as the caterpillars of 
the Black Veined White Butterfly, secreting themselves 
in a silken case under a common covering formed of 
leaves. I have already alluded to those larv se which are 
hatched very late in the autumn from eggs covered over 
with a coat of gluten, which they do not quit until 
spring. This is the case with the caterpillars of the 
smaU Ermine Moth. 
But a considerable number of insects actually hyber- 
nate in the perfect state. Such is the case with the 
Common "Wasp, Humble Bee, Tortoise Shell, Peacock, 
and Brimstone Butterflies, &c. In these cases it is the 
female insect which survives the winter, in order to he 
ready to deposit her eggs in the spring, when there is a 
fresh supply of food. It would be curious to inquire 
how far, or whether, this takes place with species which 
feed in the larvae state on the leaves of trees, save in the 
instance of the Butterflies above mentioned. The Cater¬ 
pillars feed on nettles, which die down to the ground, 
so that if a female Tortoise-shell Butterfly were not 
guided by this instinct, she might deposit her eggs, in the 
autumn, on plants, which in the following spring would 
no longer exist, and consequently the brood would 
perish before they would find a fresh supply of nettles. 
Schmid, to whom we are indebted for some valuable 
observations on this subject, says, that he never found 
or heard of any entomologist finding a hybemating 
individual of the Common Cockc-haffer, or of the Stag 
Beetle, and suggests that it is only those insects which 
exist but a short period as larvae, as most of the tribes 
of Weevils, Lady-Birds, &c., that survive the winter in 
the perfect state, whilst those which live more than one 
year in the larvae state, as the species just mentioned, 
are deprived of this privilege. The arrival of cold, so 
soon as the hybernating insects have ensconced them¬ 
selves in their winter abode, produces effects upon them 
similar to those which take place in the Dormouse and 
other hybemating animals. Their animal functions 
cease; and, according to Spallanzani, they no longer 
breathe, and have, in fact, all the external symptoms of 
death; and, however mild the atmosphere may be in 
winter, the great bulk of hybernating insects, as though 
conscious that no food could then be procured, never quit 
their quarters, hut quietly wait for a renewal of their 
insensibility by a fresh accession of cold. Water insects, 
indeed, seem to be less subject to its influences than 
terrestrial ones, as I have often observed the Water 
Beetles swinging about with as much agility as in 
summer in water, upon the icy covering of which I 
have at the time been skating. 
One of the situations selected by many of the smaller 
species of Beetles is the thick moss at the roots, and on 
the trunks of trees, foot of walls, banks on dry, sandy, 
and marshy places, margins of ponds, &c.; and the ento¬ 
mologist will find his labours amply repaid if he will 
take the trouble of collecting this kind of moss in bags 
during frosty weather, and bringing it home. A little 
placed on a deep dish or sunk plate in a warm room, 
will in a few minutes be alive with small Coleoptera, 
&c. These should be coUected in quills, and may be 
killed by immersing the quills in scalding water for a 
few seconds. I have known entomologists who have 
regularly received bags full of this kind of moss from 
the New Forest, &c., during the winter season. It 
must, of course, he as little shaken as possible, kept 
from a warm room, and laid securely in bags. Many 
insects may also now be found by stripping off the bark 
from decayed trees with the dagger or bark knife, and 
also by digging into the rotten wood in which various 
kinds of grubs or maggots will be found. These must 
be taken carefully out, and placed with a quantity of 
the decayed wood into a j ar, to watch their transforma¬ 
tion. Stems of pithy plants, such as the Currant, Bur¬ 
dock, Bramble, Teazle-heads, and various other similar 
plants, must also be examined. Bramble twigs, which 
exhibit a small orifice at the end, are sure to afford the 
collector various interesting kinds of Hymenoptera, 
including several kinds of Bees, whose economy is in 
the highest degree curious. The collector must also dig 
round the roots of trees for Chrysalids and Beetles. 
The preceding observations are, as -will at once be 
perceived, applicable only to insects living in a natural 
condition in the open air; of coruse, insects in hot¬ 
houses and stoves are much less influenced by the winter 
season, and it is most probable that the Thrips, Mealy 
Bug, and Aphides continue to multiply throughout the 
year in such situations ; although, perhaps, to a much 
smaller extent in the middle of winter than in summer. 
Some observations have been made upon this head, but 
it requires a much more extended series before any 
definite result can be obtained. This is, however, the 
more necessary, because these are precisely the insects 
which are the more annoying in their attacks, from the 
extra care and attention bestowed upon the plants to 
which they were attached.—J. 0. Westwood. 
