SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 153 



"I supplied him with a good series, and he went into communication 

 with Mr. Grote about it, and, it seems, with some difficulty, succeeded 

 in persuading Mr. Grote that it was deserving of a separate name. 

 And now Prof. Smith, by the examination of the genitalia, finds them 

 widely ajiart. I, by observing their habits, had suspected this might 

 be the case, but could not prove it, whilst, from appearance alone, 

 Mr. Grote had failed even to suspect it. 



"As resemblance is not always proof that they are one, so the lack 

 of it is not a demonstration that they are separate. In the early part 

 of 1890, I had an opportunity of examining an extensive series of 

 Lithophanes in the collection of Capt. Geddes, Toronto. I could 

 arrange in line thirty or forty disposita, petiilca, ferrealis, signosa, 

 bethunei, in such a way as to make it appear impossible to tell where 

 the separation should be made. What verdict would the genitalia 

 give in this case ? I would expect it to be in favour of their being 

 artificial species of one natural species ; yet it may not, but suppose 

 it did ? Let no one think that I would favour the obliterating of a 

 single name." — Canadian Entomologist. Aug., 1891, pp. 178-179. 



WiNfi Expansion. — As the question of wing expansion is under 

 consideration in the Entomologist'' s Record, I enclose an observed 

 instance of it, taken from the Catiadian Entomologist of May, 1882, 

 which may be of interest to you. What impressed me most forcibly 

 in connection with it, was the contrast in its condition while expanding, 

 to what I had observed in Actias polyphenms and A. cecropia, they 

 appearing quite wet, whilst it seemed to be perfectly dry, and as it 

 remained quiet for a length of time before there was any perceptible 

 change, I came to the conclusion that it had dried, and therefore 

 would not expand. 



Now as this shows that there are at least two modes of expansion, 

 it leads to the suspicion that there may be more; and what is true of 

 one, may not be applicable to another. The extract is as follows : — 



" The Development of Actias luna. — On the evening of the 12 th of 

 April, being at the residence of Mr. J. Johnston, a noise proceeding 

 from his hatching box attracted his attention. Upon looking for the 

 cause, he found a lima just emerged, the fifth from a batch of nine 

 cocoons which he had raised from the egg. Its body and wings 

 seemed to be quite dry, and were a pure downy white, with the ex- 

 ception of the costal band, which appeared disproportionately large, 

 and a minute dark speck for the eye spot. It was remarkably active 

 and did a great deal of rapid travelling before it came to rest, which it 

 did at last quite suddenly on the end of a twig, and then never moved 

 except to better secure its foothold. Mr. Johnston placed it in a 

 suitable position under the full light of the lamp, that we might watch 

 its progress to maturity. The first change noticed was the appearance 

 of a bright green spot near the base of the front wing, and as that 

 enlarged the wing expanded, very slowly at first, but more rapidly as it 

 increased in size, the green colouring matter flowing along between the 

 upper and under membrane of the wing, becoming more delicate in its 

 shade as it spread first along the front of the wing, and had reached 

 the apex before it extended through the inner half; but by the time it 

 had touched the extremity of the whole outer angle the size, form and 

 colour of the wing were complete. 



