DURING THE YEAR 1846. 209 



must then, I presume, look for the influx of this body of 

 Sphinxes to an importation or migratory flight from foreign 

 or continental shores, of which fact we possess no evidence 

 whatever ; on the contrary, their general dispersion through- 

 out the kingdom, as well as the fresh and unworn state 

 in which they appeared, seem strongly to militate against a 

 foreign or distant origin. 



During August and September several locusts, (Locusta 

 migratoriaj were taken in various localities along the North- 

 umbrian coast, three or four of which are now in my collec- 

 tion, and were exhibited to the members of the Club at a 

 former meeting. All the specimens I examined answered to 

 the description of the Locusta migratoria of authors, and 

 were probably stragglers from a flight which was observed 

 near Sunderland, in the county of Durham, a short time 

 before. The individuals sent to me were taken within a 

 mile or two of the coast, and as no instance of an imperfect 

 or larval locust has hitherto been detected in the districts 

 where the perfect insects appeared, I attribute a foreign 

 origin to these unwonted visitors. 



In August also, caterpillars oi Acherontia atropos, or Death's- 

 head Sphinx, were found in considerable abundance in the 

 potato fields, where they became more easily detected in 

 consequence of the rapid decay of the foliage when attacked 

 by the fatal disease. Among those brought to me were 

 three, which, though of equal size, or even larger, differed ia 

 colour and markings from the others, which last exactly 

 answered to the description of the larva of this Sphinx, as 

 given by Stephens and other authors. The drawings, taken 

 at the time from the two varieties, show the difference as it 

 existed, and is conspicuously apparent in the head, the three 

 first segments, and the ground colour of the body. I conti- 

 nued to feed the larvae brought to me with great care, and 

 when potato leaves could not be procured, substituted those 

 of the common nightshade, (Solanum dulcamara^) upon which 

 they seemed to thrive, and to relish as well as the potato 

 itself. When arrived at their full growth, I put them into 

 very large flower-pots, filled with earth, into which they 

 retired. The pots were placed, during the winter, in an out- 



