1886.1 19 



the plates first, and where all arc good it is difficult to distinguish any speciallj, yet 

 the following amongst the larvaj known to rae seem peculiarly natural and life-liko : 

 tJic figures of Aporia cratagi reproduce the larva in all its stages exactly ; that of 

 our common Pieris hrassicce is exquisite, and few larva; are more diflicult to paint 

 than this ; both Lasiommaia MegcBra and Egeria admirable, bo is fig. 3a of Hip- 

 parchia Hyperanthus ; Vanessa lo and V. polycliloros seem to bo perfect, and the 

 drawings 3a and 36 of Vanessa comma are very good ; I would again mention 

 Argynnis Paphia and A. Aglaia, so also Thecla quercus, and fig. 4a of Lyccsna 

 Phlaas ; of Polyommatus Argioltis, figs. 1 and la are excellent, so also are the 

 caterpillars of P. Alexis. The larva of Apatura Iris is unknown to me, but the 

 colouring and drawing of its varied positions are most artistic ; the resemblance to a 

 sea-slug is so great, that it would be mimetic, could any possible protection spring 

 from the likeness. The pupae, on the whole, are certainly more sketchy, and less 

 detailed than the larvae, but some, as for example, Aporia cratcegi, Lasiommata 

 Egeria, Melitcea Artemis, and M. Athalia, are very faithful to nature. 



There are no figures of Colias Hyale, Argynnis Lathonia, Lyccsna Arion, L. 

 Acis, and Pamphila comma. It must be remembered that it was only of late years 

 that Mr. Buckler tried to procure larvae from the continent ; it probably would not 

 be difficult to obtain three out of these five desiderata, but, alas ! where would be 

 the pencil of our author? Erehia Cassiope is only figured in its early stages, and 

 some others are only drawn in their last moult ; this list shows how little there is 

 left to be done to make the work perfect. 



The volume does not, however, owe its importance only to the plates ; the life- 

 histories of the larvee are always most interesting, and, in some cases, wonderfully 

 complete. How admirable in its details and in its exactness is the account of Papilio 

 Machaon ; the story of the larva from its ceasing to feed to the completion of its 

 change (pp. 3 — 5) is almost microscopic in its fidelity ; of course the history is 

 " really," as he says, " the personal history of the individuals which he watched ;" 

 and it makes me long to know how the same beings would comport themselves in 

 the wild state, what purpose in their economy is fulfilled by those wonderful re- 

 tractile horns, with their secretion smelling " like an overkept decaying pineapple ;" 

 perhaps they are protective, though, judging from numerous pupae, British Machaon 

 seem quite free from parasites,* yet perhaps the pungent smell may render the 

 larva distasteful to birds, and prevent its becoming a palatable breakfast for the 

 sedge-bird or the bearded titmouse, perhaps even the young widgeon or the teal. 

 These horns have no parallel in the telescopic tails of the young puss larva, perhaps 

 their true homologue may be rather found in the processes projecting from the 

 penultimate segment of some, at least of the larvae of Polyommatus, but these last 

 seem attractive rather than protective. The pupa of Machaon is only described in 

 its one colouring of green and yellow ; there is both in England, and on the continent 

 another very differently coloured pupa (wood-brown), beautifully marbled with 

 darker bands — from these I have reared the perfect insect frequently. 



Gonepteryx rhamni. — No account of this larva from Mr. Buckler, but an ad- 

 mirable summary of its life in the appendix by Mr. Hellins ; though Rhamnvs 



* From continental pupai I hiive reared a large black ichneumon (named by Mr. Fitch Tragus 

 lapidator), and also, to my grief, a very similar sijecies, only with a steel-blue gloss, from the 

 pupa; of Paj)ilio Hospitun. 



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