258 fAp"^' 



" They are especially numerous about the months of October and November. 

 " As a class, they are, I think, without exception, the most beautiful of all the lower 

 " animal organisation of these forests, whether seen by day in their wonderful moss- 

 " like garments and brilliant colours, or by night, when shining in all the splendour 

 "of phosphorescent light." 



Mr. Bigg- Wither gives (p. 303) a life-sized illustration of one of these larvse, 

 which I regret cannot be here reproduced, as an application to the publisher for a 

 stereotype of the block in the usual way, although courteously endorsed by the 

 author himself, has failed to induce a departure from the rule, adopted by the par- 

 ticular house, of refusing such propositions. The drawing, however, most unmis- 

 takably represents the larva of a Lepidopterous insect, although, being done by a non- 

 entomologist, the number of ventral legs is Tenthredinous. Its hairy or spiny 

 covering is arborescent and long, suggestive of certain Nymphalidx among the 

 Rhopalocera ; but the head is that of a moth-larva, and, joined to our knowledge of 

 the urticating properties of Cnethocampa in Europe, it is to the Bomhycidce that 

 one would be in preference inclined to refer it, if not to the SaturniidcB, and it may 

 be noted that the larvce of Saturnia io, S. maia, and other North American species, 

 are notorious for stinging. 



Mr. Bigg-Wither's observations upon insects are very numerous and very good, 

 equal in fidelity to (if not so scientifically expressed as) those in Mr. Belt's excellent 

 work on Nicaragua. I may instance his figures, &c., of the Catagramma on p. 199 

 of vol. i, which (christened " Oitenta Oito " or " 88," from the markings on the 

 under-side of the lower wings) woidd not disgrace any purely descriptive work. It 

 is, therefore, quite impossible to allow his record of the existence of luminosity in 

 a Lepidopterous insect to pass by as not worthy of credit, or as based on erroneous 

 observations ; and I have therefore applied to him for such fiu'ther particulars as 

 might be in his power to give, suggesting also the possible objection that these larvfe 

 miglit have accidentally acquired luminosity from crawling upon some phosphorescent 

 material (though such an objection would be quite unwarranted by the context). He 

 kindly writes as follows :— 



"I have consulted my various notes, and other documents in my possession, with 

 a view to giving you the further information that you are anxious to have. 



" I find that the colour of the caterpillars, represented in my book, was light 

 sea-green ; that it is from a sketch taken by my friend Mr. Edwards (mentioned in 

 the ' Introduction ') ; and tliat it is described as a ' phosphorescent stinging cater- 

 pillar.' This is the sum total of the information I possess about this particular 

 specimen. 



" I find, however, by my other notes, that, in the month of November, 1872, 

 our forest camp, on the banks of the Ivaliy, produced caterpillars, amongst others 

 of the following three distinct characters : (1) luminous smooth caterpillars ; (2) lumi- 

 nous hairy and stinging caterpillars ; (3) woH-luminous hairy and stinging caterpillars. 

 Of these, No. 3 might or might not have been luminous at certain times. 



" Five years and more of interval between now and then (1872) will naturally 

 somewhat detract from the value of mere recollections, especially on such matters as 

 relate to natural history science — a subject which, though especially interesting to 

 rffe in my private capacity, yet did not form one of the objects of the expedition. 

 These recoUections, however, are altogether againft the theory of the stinging cater- 



