CorQnilla vdria in Britain. 605 



orange, which is contrary to Mr. Humphreys's experience, 

 since he tried the leaves of that and other species of citrons 

 without success. They are kept in an attic, exposed to the 

 sun, and have the free range of the room ; but seldom quit 

 the leaves of the ricinus, on which they feed principally at 

 night. When about to change their skin, they can scarcely 

 endure being touched without danger of destroying them. 

 In all other respects they seem remarkably hardy. Madame 

 Merian's figure of the larva is, on the whole, correct ; as is also 

 that of the imago, though the wings are not drawn sufficiently 

 falcate ; but the cocoon, as she has depicted it, is very unlike 

 any of the numerous examples I saw in Mr. Humphreys's pos- 

 session, either of the wild or domesticated insect ; the puparium 

 being double, the outer envelope pyriform and angular ; the 

 inner oval, with an orifice at one end for the egress of the per- 

 fect insect ; but not furnished with that palisade of bristles, so 

 curiously constructed by the European species of this genus. 

 Mr. Humphreys is now rearing the second generation bred 

 in England ; and has a numerous colony, quietly reposing in 

 their silken tenements, which he does not expect they will 

 quit until next spring. 



Mr. Humphreys intends making experiments on the silk of 

 this species, which he describes as being fitted for all the pur- 

 poses of ordinary silk; and, it is indeed, manufactured by the 

 Brazilians into various articles of clothing. Madame Merian 

 was of the same opinion, recommending its cultivation from 

 her own experience; having, as she tells us, brought back 

 much of it with her into Holland, where it was probably 

 admired at the moment, and forgotten, amongst a people 

 where enterprise is seldom indulged, except with an imme- 

 diate prospect of remuneration. 



I have been thus minute in detailing the history of this 

 beautiful species, because I have never heard of its having 

 been bred in England till now ; and the promise of utility 

 held out, should it be ultimately realised by trials of the silk 

 upon an extensive scale, must give additional interest to this 

 record of its introduction amongst us. — Id. 



Plants. — Coromlla vdria a British Plant. — I wish to draw 

 the attention of botanists, especially of those in Devonshire, to the 

 great probability, amounting almost to certainty, that the above 

 plant is to be found wild in that county, and, perhaps, in other 

 parts of the kingdom. I have for two years past had reasons for 

 suspecting its existence; and this belief has been strengthened 

 nearly to confirmation, by finding amongst the rocks at the Berry 

 Head, in August last, whilst searching for the chrysocoma 

 which grows there abundantly, two specimens of a leguminous 



