226 THE entomologist's record. 



My examination of Ao-oni/rta showed that Acmnijcta was a 

 Noctuid group, but had very strong Arctiid affinities. Dcinas conjU, 

 I should say, was a Liparid with strong Noctuid affinities. 



Mr. Meyrick has placed before us markedly a conclusion I had 

 independently arrived at, viz., that the Macro-Heteroceha with eggs 

 whose micropylar axis is placed vertically when the Ggg is laid, form one 

 group. His position for Notodontid.e is unfortunate from this point 

 of view, but this by the way. Arctiid^ are closely associated with 

 NocTU^, so also are Liparid.e, the association of Liparidj-: with 

 Arctiid.e is more remote. The result is, therefore, that a dispute as 

 to whether Dcmas cori/li is a Noctuid or a Liparid is not so much a 

 question of fact as a question as to where it will please you to draw 

 the line between the two groups. — January, 1896. 



On Breeding Sphinx convolvuli, witli some account of its Larva. 



By W. T. STUKT. 



I received from Cornwall seventeen larvfe of Splnn.ccoiirnlndi, which 

 were found by a fisherman named Pengelly at Port Wrinkle, 

 Whitsand Bay. These came to hand as follows : — Four on the 19th, 

 and thirteen on the 2Gth of October last. Of these five died, two I gave 

 to a friend, ten went to earth, and I obtained seven healthy pup^e, but 

 four of them are, 1 should think, decidedly small. The larv;e varied in 

 size and colour very much — the brown form (in those just changed into 

 the last skin) — from almost black, with continuous white stripes along 

 the side, to two (full-fed), which were of a pale putty colour with 

 very faint markings. The green form varied from a rather deeper 

 tint than that of N. lii/mtri, with oblique black stripes bordered with 

 white, to a very washy shade, with the black stripes broken up into three 

 dots of pale brown. One of those I received on October 19th went to 

 earth the same day, and the last of all on the 17th of the following 

 month. 



The larviB were sluggish, but good feeders, seldom moving unless 

 in search of food. When disturbed they twisted the head sharply to 

 one side, and I particularly noticed, when changing their food, that 

 they would quickly let go their foothold ; in fact, showed a decided 

 tendency to drop off. In a state of nature, feeding as they do, on a 

 plant so near the ground, no doubt even a heavy caterpillar might 

 not suffer injury. That they avoid sunshine, and hide during the 

 day, I am convinced is not the case, tor they seemed to prefer 

 feeding in the sunshine if I placed them there, and would feed freely 

 by gaslight. _ 



In pupating 1 found they had all " buried " to a depth of about eight 

 inches, though the pot was a large one, and they could have gone 

 down at least another four inches. They had formed particularly 

 large earthen cavities, in which I found the pupae remarkably active, 

 very soft and delicate looking, and of a pale reddish shining brown 

 colour. The head and wing-cases very transparent. I placed one 

 pupa in a forcing apparatus on December 1st, and a second on 

 December 8rd ; the first died after appearing well and active 

 for ten days. I did not observe any alteration in the second 

 until December 13th, when I noticed the eyes and proboscis decidedly 

 darkening ; on the 17th still more so, and legs and antennae also 



