125 



so that one could not draw the Ihie to divide them. Variable 



insects do not vary in some localities. Harpalus ceneus does 



not vary with us ; at Welton, on our coast, it varies in all 



manner of ways. Five species were formerly made of these 



varieties. In a box of insects I got a few days since from 



near Wilmington, Del., is a species I do not remember to 



have seen. The upper wings are pale cream color, with brown- 



black markings. The under wings plain yellow ochre color. 



[See a figure in a letter from Doubleday to Harris, Nov. 16, 



1840.] In this box were several specimens of P. Glaucus. I 



had just before got some specimens of P. Cflaucus from the 



town of Wilmington ; these were from Centre or Centreville, 



about six miles oif. The man who ol^tained them sent me a 



great number of cocoons of Saturyiia Cecropia, Pohjphemus^ 



and a few of Prometliea. I observe these (that is, the first 



two, for many are now out,) always sit, when quite at rest, 



with their wings back like a butterfly. When disturbed a 



little, they sit with the wings flat, and partially expanded. 



DOUBLEDAY TO HARRIS. 



Epping, Aug. 28, 1839. 



There is a drawing without any larva or any note attached 

 (in Raddon's fac-simile of drawings by Abbot), of what I sup- 

 pose to be Smerinthus modestus $ , but much larger than you 

 describe it, being five and three fourths inches in expanse. The 

 wings are more pointed than in any of the others, and resemble 

 a little the true SpTiiiiges. 



I would describe it as follows : Superior wings pale ashy at the 

 base, a broad, irregular, transverse, fuscous band at the middle, 

 in which is a triangular whitish spot, then a rather narrow trans- 

 verse, pale ashy fascia, followed by a still narrower fuscous band. 

 The remaining part of the wing brownish-;^shy, the nervures, a 



