INSE0T8 — ^ILLUSTRATED. 



to the gcmis, not permanent in the individual. * * Various causes (unknown 

 to seii'iu'o) are constantly occurring: to produce imperfections and modifications 

 in the several ])arts of plants; striking variations from normal conditions are fre- 

 (|iuMitly, indeed, so often rejieated, as to (issinne the (ipj)vitr(tnce of permanent charac- 

 ters. * * Transformation, as well as the entire su})])ression of pistils, is also 

 of frequent occurrence. Pistils (says IJalfour) are sometimes clianp^ed to stamens, 

 and l)ear pollen. * * Cultivators and other observers of variations from the 

 normal condition in the Strawberry blossom, have described the i)lant itself as 

 therefore ditecious. These descriptions convey a notion entirely at variance with 

 all ])rcvious knowledge of the characters of the genus, and not only so, but really 

 contrary to their own observations of the plant in its natural state. It is certain, 

 beyond controversy, that the natural character of the perfect Strawberry blossom 

 is hermaphrodite. Any departure from this original typical form must be regarded 

 as casual degeneracies, and by no means as constant. The more recent advo- 

 cates of the theory, have claimed for it too much ; that is, they have asserted that 

 these abnormalities arc fixed and permanent, natural and transmissible." 



When the above was written, the author was evidently opposing some one whom 

 he believed to deny the existence of such a thing as a Strawberry blossom with 

 imperfect sexual characters. But as no such persons "came out" in the contro- 

 versy, it is gratifying to find that, with the exception of Mr. Longworth and the 

 " few who have claimed too much," both "Eastern cultivators" and " Cincinnati" 

 are of the same mind after all. 



INSECTS, NO. 2.— ILLUSTRATED. 



BY J. STAUFFER, mount JOY, PA. 



Tiiouon the insects under consideration in this article have been well described 

 and illustrated in the Agricultural Patent Office Report for 1854, I nevertheless 

 copy from my own drawings and observations, for the benefit of those of your 

 readers who may not be in i)OSsession of said report. 



Cut No. 1 represents the ^'Egeria exitiosa of Say, or Peach-tree Borer. 



The family vEgeridte, or the Sesiades of LatreiUe, are interesting, both on ac- 

 count of the difficulties connected with their natural situation among Lepidopte- 

 rous tribes, and their great resemblance to various Ilimcuoptera and Diptera, 

 owing to the elongate form of the body, and the transparency of the wings. 



In their habits and transformations, they approach the Cossus among the Ilepia- 

 lidte, while the wings and antennte have a close analogy to some of the clear-winged 

 SphingidiE. 



About the 16th of July, by examining the gummy exudation at the base of 

 peach-trees, you will often find an oblong, oval body like fine tan ; this is the 

 cocoon, made from the debris of the bark, which incloses the chrysalis and young 

 iEgcria. Place this cocoon in a box — not too close — and, in about nine days 

 thereafter, you may witness, as I have, the mode of egress from its double con- 

 finement. The chrysalis, or shell, surrounding the insect, is furnished with trans- 

 verse rows of short, somewhat curved teeth on the abdominal segments, by means 

 of which it wriggles its body forward (screw fashion) till two-thirds out of the 

 cocoon, when it speedily splits into three segments, through which opening the 

 insect escapes. Moist and rather feeble at first, in less than five minutes it acijuires 

 all its strength and activity, and is then truly beautiful to behold, in its pristine 

 vigor and perfection. The female (A) has the anterior wings covered wi ' 

 velvet)', blue-black coat, as also its body, except a broad, yellow ring. The 



