outer bunch of leaves, and the cocoons are so huddled together that 
natural conditions are impossible. 
I have only once or twice found assembling really successful. If I 
must fix upon a lucky year, I should point to 1890. I am afraid that 
the records in my diary are very incomplete, inasmuch as the numbers 
of my captures are not always recorded, and on this account I feel 
justified in adding the year 1887, when I found more larvas than usual, 
and the insect was therefore more than usually abundant. Generally 
speaking, and this not only in late years, one does not see many males. 
■Over and over again I have been out and seen at most one, often I have 
not seen even one. So much depends upon the weather, and the insect 
appears to be exceedingly nervous, darting away directly efforts are made 
to capture him. I suppose it is the same with other species, but being 
often so scarce it is more noticeable here. 
We come now to the question whether 0. gonostiyma is really more 
scarce, and if so what is the reason ? I think we must all admit the 
insect is at present in considerable demand. This proves that the supply 
is limited. And this, remembering the large number of eggs laid by a 
single female, seems at least strange. As far as I know, the Brent¬ 
wood locality is, at least at present, unable to provide for our wants. 
I don’t in the least know how it is in the other places. Possibly 
some of our members may be able to tell us. One recognises the fact 
that species with apterous females, too large for the males to carry, 
must have the greatest difficulty in increasing their radius. But how 
general some of these species are. Think of most of the Hybernias, 
the Psychids and Orgyia antiqua! I have no doubt that the fire at 
Brentwood in the early “ 90’s ” destroyed great numbers of the insect, 
but it exists, as I have proved, in the parts where no fire came. It 
would be interesting to find out how long it will be before it is found 
again within the burnt region! 
I am myself greatly inclined to ascribe the scarcity to the late 
succession of mild winters. The larva I have shown can be easily 
persuaded to avoid hybernation. Consider its condition when it finds 
itself confronted by a winter too warm to allow it to remain asleep. 
Insomnia in the human subject is bad and may lead to serious results, 
but I fancy that with our insect it may, or even must, end in death. 
For our larva, after trying to get to sleep, after a nod or two, wakes 
up. He has been dreaming, perhaps, of the past season, perhaps 
thinking of the coming spring. He feeels the warmth, he takes the 
decisive step, casts his skin, and then comes a frost, and a succession 
of damp cold. There is no food, he cannot eat the coarse bramble leaves 
which still adorn the bushes. I don’t think he cares for low growth. 
There is nothing left but death for him. 
Where do the larvae hybernate ? In confinement they generally 
spin up to the side of the box in which they are living, but often to the 
stems of their foodplants or within the curled and withered leaves. 
The only observation as to their habit in nature, which I have found, is 
the note in the Record last year ( Entom. Record , 1904, p. 241), by Mr. 
Whittle, w T ho brought home a larva, almost certainly hidden in an oak 
apple. There appears to be no other explanation possible of its appearance 
in his breeding-cage. 
The last point I want to make is this. Why is 0. gonostiyma so 
local ? Is it because we don’t look for it ? That was my initial mis- 
