1901.] 297 



Papilio Machaon, L., taken in Hampshire. —In the July number {ante, p. 

 172) of (liis M:ig!izine T reporlpfl having taken on May 25tli last a specimen of this 

 butterfly in my garden, and expressed an opinion it might have been an escape or 

 intentionally turned out. From enquiries since made, I find a gentleman did turn 

 some out a few days previously in his garden, which is about a mile distant, so most 

 probably my specimen came from there, the weather being very fine and direction 

 of wind favourable at the time. I am further informed this was not done with any 

 idea of introducing P. Machaon into the district, but for the pleasure of seeing this 

 fine butterfly on the wing. — Fukd. C. Adams, Fern Cottage, Lyndhurst : Novem- 

 ber, 1901. 



Larva: of Sphinc, convo/vuli on IToIi/ Island, Northumberland. — A fnll grown 

 larva of Sphin.e convolmli was found on August 7th, 1901, on Holy Island (off the 

 coast of Northumberland, b^'tvveen Bamburgh and Berwick-upon-Tweed). Wiien 

 taken, it was crawling across a road which separated a potato field, where much 

 Convolvulus was growing, from a garden in which there was a profusion of the large 

 white Convolvulus. I showed it to a man who has for years collected on the Island, 

 where he has always lived, and he assured me he had never met with it there before. 

 The specimen I obtained was in beautiful condition ; I sent it for identification to 

 Dr. Sharp, F.R.S., at Cambridge, who then forwarded it to Dr. T. A. Chapman, at 

 Reigate ; inifortunately the creature was damaged on its travels, and, as it began to 

 pupate, it became useless as a specimen. However, I had previously taken the 

 following description of it :— In length it measured 4 inches, and was broad in pro- 

 portion, its diameter being about f of an inch. It was the same bright " sage " 

 green on the dorsal as well as on the ventral surfaces, marked laterally with oblique 

 black stripes ; the spiracles were rendered very conspicuous by being situated each 

 in the centre of a black spot ; the legs, too, were quite black and glossy. The 

 surface of the body was uniformly smooth, but the skin was dull, and not polished ; 

 the segments of the body were well defined, tlie ringing being deep and distinct, 

 with numerous intermediate rings, which, however, were incomplete on the ventral 

 surface. The larva was almost of uniform girth, but tapered slightly at the anterior 

 end, the head itself being small and green, with black stripes vertically; the last 

 segment was also somewhat reduced. The last segment but one carried a long 

 powerful horn or spike, pointed at the tip and strongly curved backwards over the 

 anal flap; this horn, in striking contrast to the green of the body, was of a bright 

 orange-red colour, tipped with black. The "tout ensemble " was very handsome. 



On September 30th another specimen was found on the Island, but as I had 

 left by then it was sent to Cambridge. This individual was in the pupal state, and 

 was found in the soil. It was 2j- inches in length, and very broad at the anterior 

 end, but tapering very considerably posteriorly. Its colour was bright brown, rather 

 dark except on the wing-covers, which were of a much lighter shade ; these covers 

 reach along two-thirds of total length of the body. The proboscis was dark, and 

 about an inch long, almost half its length being I'ccurved and bent on itself against 

 the ventral surface of the thorax ; it ended in a blunt rounded knob. The curious 

 and highly characteristic arrangement of notches was plainly visible on the sides of 

 those segments of the abdomen which are situated in such a position that they 

 become subjected to great strain of curvature when the pupa indulges in its very 



