550 CHAPTER OF VARIETIES. 



usual time, when I threw into their cage a variety of common moths 

 amongst which were three or four of the A. grossulariata ; but the 

 latter were even then rejected, though the other various species were all 

 devoured greedily. One, however, Avas swallowed by a whin-chat, but 

 he did not take a second, and I noticed a tree-pipit (Antkus arbor eus) 

 take one of them in his mouth, which, on tasting, he refused. The 

 caterpillar also, is rejected by all these various birds. May not this be 

 a principal cause of the magpie-moth being one of the most abundant 

 species we have ? 



Tooting. EDWARD BLYTH. 



NIGHT-SHINING EYES OF THE DARK ARCHES MOTH. A few weeks 

 ago, on seeing a remarkably fine specimen of the dark arches moth 

 (Xylopkaria polyodon}, I caught it, and placed it in a small box which 

 I happened to have in my pocket. On my return home in the evening 

 when it was almost dark, I gently lifted up the lid, and was not a 

 little amazed to perceive that the moth's eyes had the power of con- 

 verging the few rays of light, shining in the dark like two little stars 

 with considerable brilliancy. Ten minutes afterwards, however, when 

 I again looked at the moth, I was surprised to find that its eyes were 

 not visible at all, showing that this faculty is dependent on the will of 

 the animal. I have since examined a considerable number of moths, in 

 various genera, but only in one instance have I again had the satisfac- 

 tion of beholding this beautiful phenomenon. This was in a common 

 golden-tail (Portkesia chrysorrhcea,) but the appearance was not so 

 bright as in the Xylophasia. It shows, however, that moths, like 

 many other nocturnal animals, are endowed with this curious power, to 

 enable them to see their way clearly at a time when the vision of 

 diurnal creatures is of little or no avail. EDWARD BLYTH. 



Tooting. 



M. PERTY'S FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL HISTORY. 

 In a Latin thesis prefixed to some observations on East Indian beetles, 

 by Max. Perty, published at Munich, we find the following general 

 principles, which we have tried to translate, as a specimen of the stuff 

 now current in Germany, belonging to the school of Schelling, Oken 

 Fries, &c. 



" 1. The world was formed by antithesis, and is preserved by anta- 

 gonism. 



