2;30 [March, 



which to the naked eye appears smooth, shows that it lias a great number of fine 

 striae, which, in their structure, have the greatest resemblance to the friction ridges 

 of the NecropTiori, Dung-beetles and Longicorns. It is remarkable that in the moths 

 the surface rubbed (the violin) is moveable, whilst the bow is represented by a 

 longitudinal ridge at the base of the haustellum. 



Landois also discovered a similarly constructed mechanism for producing sound 

 in other SphingidcB. Only some other Lepidoptera have the power of making a 

 sound, namely, Vanessa lo (Hewitson), V. urticce (Grreene), Euprepia matronula 

 (Czerny), Chelonia pudica (Solier), and Orthosia (Haldeman), yet it may be sup- 

 posed that a mechanism for producing sound, similar to that existing in Acherontia, 

 may exist in other Lepidoptera, and I find, as a fact, in many Vanessa, viewed under 

 the microscope, that there is a very finely sculptured friction-surface at the base of 

 the palpi. This is constructed differently from that of the Sphingida, and is of a 

 rounder form, but it affords all the conditions for stridulation. I also examined a 

 number of other butterflies, Bombyces, Noctuce and Qeoynetrce, and found that, except 

 in three species, a friction-surface, well constructed for stridulation, exists at the base 

 of the palpi. The formation, however, is very dissimilar in different genera, and I 

 will hereafter publish (he result of my researches in detail. It is thus established 

 as a general principle that a capability to stridulate exists typically among Lepidoptera, 

 and that the want of such capability is exceptional. But generally the sound is so 

 faint that our ears cannot perceive it. The object of the stridulation is as yet 

 unknown. The organs of stridulation, e. g. in Doritis Mnemosyne, are more developed 

 in the ^ than in the $ , but in other species no such difference is perceptible. — 

 O. M. Retjteb (in Kraatz's " Entomologische Monatsbliitter," vol. i, Berlin, 

 1876, p. 53). 



Supposed occurrence of a variety of Pyrameis Huntera in England. — I send you a 

 butterfly which I had in my collection for some time, in hopes it may prove to be 

 P. Suntera. The circumstances of its capture were as follows : — In the end of July, 

 or beginning of August, 1871 (when I was just beginning to collect), as I was going 

 home for the holidays with one of my brothers, he drew my attention to a butterfly 

 on the roof inside one of the L. & S. W. R. carriages, shortly after leaving Woking- 

 ham station : this insect I always considered a variety of P. cardui, until quite 

 lately. — T. D. Gibson-Caemichael, Castle Craig, Dolpliinton, N.B. : January, 1877. 



[The condition of this specimen induced me to question my observant young 

 correspondent as to the possibility of an error of memory, or confusion with another 

 insect, having occurred. His answers were satisfactory so far ; and he stated that he 

 possessed two P. Huntera in a case of " British " Butterflies, and that this appeared 

 to differ from them. Upon comparing the example at the British Museum, it turns 

 out to be the Brazilian form of Huntera, differing very considerably from the typical 

 N. American insect. My correspondent admits the increased difficulty, but still 

 thinks he has made no mistake. It may be well to remark that the Brazilian Mail 

 Packets come to Southampton, which is on the L. «t S. W. Eailway. — R. McL.]. 



Stray notes on Lepidoptera. — Tliecla hetulce. — I found one $ at the end of 

 August sitting on the blossom of a small Umhel^ifer — probably Pimpinella, and so 



