234 



HARDWICKE'S SCIEN CE-GO S S 1 P. 



intercourse wljich such meetiugs briug about, and 

 which is even more valuable to tlie cause of science 

 than elaborate addresses. But there were not lack- 

 ing the latter, and Dr. Carpenter's as well as 

 Professor Clifford's discourses on the nature and 

 aim of scientific research cannot fail to produce a 

 more humble spirit of inquiry, and less of rash 

 speculation. The success of this year's gathering 

 was mainly due to the efforts of the local scientific 

 men: the Brighton Natural History Society came to 

 the front better than we have seen any local society 

 for many years. At each of the two conversazioni 

 about seventy microscopes were worked by the 

 members, every variety of object being exhibited. 

 A new feature was the collection of living Sussex 

 flowering-plants, which were arranged in troughs of 

 wet sand, and neatly labelled. A first-rate herbarium 

 occupied one entire room, and here were Mr. Mitten's 

 splendid collection of mosses, and one of lichens no 

 less valuable. Where all worked so well, it would 

 seem invidious to mention particular gentlemen ; 

 but we should lack a sense of duty if we did not 

 compliment Dr. Griffiths, Mr. Woufor, Mr. G. 

 Scott, Mr. C. Smith, and Mr. Howell on their 

 successful endeavours to aid all inquirers. The tem- 

 porary Museum was another important feature, as 

 our readers will understand when we mention that 

 Mr. Davidson's series of cretaceous Brachiopoda 

 was here exhibited, as well as Mr. Willett's mag- 

 nificent collection of Sussex Chalk fossils. As to 

 the excursions, the remembrance of them will last 

 for many a day, of hammering out Jguanodow s teeth 

 at Cuckfield, or exploring the Cyrena beds at the 

 Wealden Boring at Netherton. To speak of the 

 papers that were read is here needless, as the limits 

 of space even would forbid us turning our columns 

 into a catalogue. 



Preserving Lakva. — Having tried various ways 

 of preserving lepidopterous larvaj, such as blowing 

 them up with air and heating them in a glass tube 

 or metal chamber, or filling them with sand and 

 drying them, — these methods having failed, I tried 

 another plan, which does admirably ; the only 

 things requii'cd being a small glass syringe (which 

 may be purchased at any glassblower's for a penny 

 or twopence— it must be very narrow at the point) 

 and Young's parafiin or white wax. I disembowel 

 the caterpillar by piercing it in the anus and squeez- 

 ing out the contents, drying it afterwards with rolls 

 of blotting-paper ; then 1 boil a little of Young's 

 paraffin or wax, and a small potful of water. When 

 I have the water, caterpillar, and wax ready, I draw 

 into the syringe some boiling water (the object of 

 this is to heat the glass so as not to let the paraffin 

 get hard before being injected out) ; I then inject 

 out the water, and draw up the wax or paraffm, 

 dipping the point of the syringe into the boiling 

 water. It is best to keep the water in the same 



vessel as it was boiled in, as it keeps warm longer. 

 I then put the point of the syringe into the anus of 

 the caterpillar and inject the wax into it. All these 

 things must be done very quickly. If, afterwards, 

 it is seen that any of the parts are not fully de- 

 veloped, all that is required is to pass a thread 

 through the underside of the anal segment, dip it 

 into boiling water for a few minutes, which causes the 

 wax to melt, filling the different parts. The larvae 

 can afterwards be mounted to suit the owner, either 

 on w'ires or slips of Bristol board. — James J. King. 



Mimicry in Insects. — An instance of what 

 might be termed mimicry, may be noticed in the 

 common garden Carpet-moth {Melantppe fltiduata) . 

 It -usually seeks refuge, iu the daytime, in some 

 obscure place, and there rests with its upper wings 

 somewhat outspread, but not, as it is commonly 

 placed, with its under wings exposed, iu the ento- 

 mological drawer. In its natural position, and 

 resting on a brownish or obscure surface, it would 

 not, from the markings on its wings, be taken for 

 what it is, but for a smaller whitish moth, and 

 reversed iu position. If we attempt to catch it, 

 the moth darts in the opposite direction to what we 

 expect, and we are probably foiled. We do not 

 affirm that this is anything more than an accidental 

 disposition of the colours, nor are we certain that 

 it is iu any degree favourable to the preservation of 

 the insects. — R. G. 



New British Burnets. — Though we have an- 

 nounced, year by year, the addition of various 

 moths to our list, it is very seldom that we acquire 

 a new species belonging to the Hawk-moth tribe — 

 the Spldngina of Linnseus and the older authors. 

 Last year, however, on the side of a hdl at Braemar, 

 at an elevation of 2,500 feet, a number of specimens 

 were taken of Zygtena exulans ; the Scotch ex- 

 amples of this continental species presenting some 

 local peculiarities. And this summer, in that choice 

 spot for insect-hunting, the New Forest, several 

 collectors have caught examples of Z. meliloti, but 

 slightly damaged, as they were too late for the 

 species. Both seem to be limited in their range ; the 

 latter, though smaller, much resembles i(n/o/« y the 

 new Scotch Burnet is decidedly unlike the long- 

 known British species.— J. R. S. C. 



The Camberwell Beauty {Vanessa Antiopd). — 

 We have been overwhelmed with notices of the 

 abundant appearance of this beautiful object, in 

 various parts of the country. The question for en- 

 tomologists to consider is whether they have been 

 British bred and born, or continental specimens on 

 a visit. The peculiar cream tinge of the border 

 would seem to indicate the latter. 



Mimicry in the Snake. — Professor Cope makes 

 the following remarks : — " I had for some time a 

 specimen of Cydophis icstivus living in a Wardian 



