125 



so that one could not draw the line to divide them. Variable 

 insects do not vary in some localities. Harpalus ceneus does 

 not vary with us ; at Wei ton, on our coast, it varies in all 

 manner of ways. Five species were formerly made of these 

 varieties. In a box of insects I got a few days since from 

 near Wilmington, Del., is a species I do not remember to 

 have seen. The upper wings are pale cream color, with brown- 

 black markings. The under wings plain yellow ochre color. 

 [See a figure in a letter from Doubleday to Harris, Nov. 16, 

 1840.] In this box were several specimens of P. Grlaucus. I 

 had just before got some specimens of P. Crlaucus from the 

 town of Wilmington ; these were from Centre or Centreville, 

 about six miles off. The man who obtained them sent me a 

 great number of cocoons of Saturnia Cecropia, Polyphemus, 

 and a few of Prometliea. I observe these (that is, the first 

 two, for many are now out,) always sit, when quite at rest, 

 with their wings back like a butterfly. When disturbed a 

 little, they sit with the wings flat, and partially expanded. 



DOUBLEDAY TO HARRIS. 



EPPING, Aug. 28, 1839. 



There is a drawing without any larva or any note attached 

 (in Raddon's fac-simile of drawings by Abbot), of what I sup- 

 pose to be Smerinfhus modestus 9 , but much larger than you 

 describe it, being five and three fourths inches in expanse. The 

 wings are more pointed than in any of the others, and resemble 

 a little the true Sphinges. 



I would describe it as follows : Superior wings pale ashy at the 

 base, a broad, irregular, transverse, fuscous band. at the middle, 

 in which is a triangular whitish spot, then a rather narrow trans- 

 verse, pale ashy fascia, followed by a still narrower fuscous band. 

 The remaining part of the wing brownish-ashy, the nervures, a 



