436 



Zoology, 



The Fact of the Flight of Earivigs I had long known, on the credit of 

 others, but not at all from inspection, till May 12. 1831. Between 5 and 6 

 P. M. the atmosphere was warm and most exciting, when, in an area between 

 two ranges of hot-bed frames, I saw numerous specimens of i^orficula minor, 

 all in highest ecstasies, and traversing the ground in all directions. 1 thought 

 I also saw some flying, and alighting round about. Hereupon I caused one 

 on the ground to mount my hand, and elevating it to the level of my eye, 

 saw it fly off: thus also did a second, a third, and a fourth. Each, before 

 taking flight, aided or effected the expansion of its snow-white membranous 

 wings with the forceps in its tail, which it turned over its back, and used 

 with admirable adroitness. They flew ably, and in curves of short diame- 

 meters. This instance is very similar to the one related in Kirby and 

 Spence's Introduction to Entomology y vol. iv. p. 514. — John Denson. Bays- 

 water y July 12. 1831. 



^phin^ A'tropos met with at Sea. — On our passage up the Mediterranean, 

 in his Majesty's ship Ingate, in the month of May, 1831, then off the Spa- 

 nish coast. Cape Palos being the nearest point, distant about twenty miles, 

 a fine specimen of the 5phinj; A'tropos, or death's-head moth, flew on 

 board. That butterflies, and other light and buoyant insects, are of fre- 

 quent occurrence at sea, I am well aware, having repeatedly seen them in 

 the Atlantic when at least a hundred miles from the land. This instance 

 of the »S'phin^ A''tropo5, however, appears worth noticing, on account of 

 the extraordinary size and weight of the insect, compared with the area 

 of its fragile wings ; which must have been kept in a violent state of mus- 

 cular exertion for a length of time, to support so weighty a body in the air, 

 without a moment's pause. As the breeze was not overpowering, it may 

 be fairly conjectured that this aerial traveller had quitted the shore more 

 from choice than compulsion ; and, probably, might have safely landed 

 itself in Africa, had it instinctively sought a warmer climate : which, pos- 

 sibly, might have been the case, from its having been met with at so early a 

 period of the year, its usual appearance in England, at least, being in the 

 autumn : seldom before August, but more frequently in October. — F. S., 

 F.L.S. July2\.\S3\. 



A Description of an Instrument for catching all hinds of flying Insects. — 

 Fig. 92. a represents the front view when open ; b represents the side 



92 



view partly closed ; c the front view when closed. The instrument vs 

 to be constructed in the following manner : — To a ring of stiff iron 

 wire is to be attached a bag of spider-net to form the bottom, which is to 

 be covered at pleasure by means of a movable half-ring of wire, filled in 

 with spider-net, and hinged so as to close the top securely when flapped 



