June, 1915.] Slosson : A Few Memories. 89 



In 1884 (Papilio IV) Mr. Neumorgen had described a Florida 

 moth as Varina oriiata and placed it provisionally in the Cochlidiinie. 

 Later Prof. Smith assigned it to the Liparidse. The species was not 

 rare in West Florida and I took a number of specimens. The life 

 history was unknown and the species had been described from the 

 male only. So I was delighting on taking a fine female at light and 

 securing a few eggs. From these emerged some curious little larvse 

 which to my surprise bore no resemblance to larvae of the groups in 

 which the moth had been placed. They were semi-loopers as are 

 the newly hatched larvae of many noctuids. Not knowing their food 

 plant, and my efforts to find something they would eat proving use- 

 less the little fellows died at a very early age. But Mr. Edwards 

 was much interested in my small discovery, writing enthusiastic 

 letters and suggesting plants which the larvae might possibly eat, hints 

 which came too late to be of use. Prof. Packard to whom I also 

 wrote expressed much interest in the matter and later, wrote an ar- 

 ticle on the position of the moth, quoting from my account of the 

 larvae (Can. Entom., XXV). Varina ornata was found to be a syn- 

 onym of Achcrdoa ferraria, Walk., and in late lists is placed with 

 the Noctuidse. I afterwards described the female. 



Though strong and even robust in appearance, Mr. Edwards was 

 liable to attacks of serious illness and probably had some chronic dis- 

 abilities. Any unusual excitement, agitation, mental fatigue or worry 

 would bring on such attacks. In April, 1888, he writes. — " I have 

 had a dreadful time. The terrible blizzard of March 12th gave me a 

 great shake and I have not been myself since." But he adds — " I am 

 hard at work on my catalogue of transformations." In March, 1891, 

 he writes of having been very ill with pneumonia " four weeks in 

 bed, the doctor with me three times a day. I am only now able to 

 sit up and wander about my bedroom. I have not been in my but- 

 terfly room for seven weeks ! " He worked hard at his profession 

 as an actor, often writing me when rehearsing for a new play that 

 he had scarcely left the theatre for days and was " dead tired." His 

 fellow actors made all manner of sport of his entomological hobby 

 and played many jokes upon him. He told me of some of these and 

 seemed to take them very good naturedly. Once in the midst of an 

 exciting scene in melodrama when he himself was pouring forth an 

 impassioned speech he suddenly caught sight of a large insect hover- 



