256 [Apr". 
other instances brought foi'W'ard in my last paper form a strong "case" for the 
" plaintiff" or the "defendant," whichever I am to regard myself. It just occurs to 
me to ask whether any diflFerence has been observed in the specimens of Aclierontia 
Ai/ropos which emerge in the autumn and those which remain over the winter. I 
fear these notes have extended to an undue length, but the subject is a very 
interesting one, and the " busy season " in the Entomological world has not yet 
commenced. I beg, in my turn, to thank Dr. Knaggs for his courteous answer to 
my objections, and shall hope to read something farther from his pen in reply. — 
J. Greene, Sudbury, Derby. 
*^* I thank my friend Mr. Greene for reminding me of the case of A. Atropos, 
in which species autumnal specimens are immature, while spring examples are 
mature, and capable of reproducing their like ; which corroborates my assertion 
that " retardation or acceleration of the completion of the pupal state are causes 
productive of a greater or less degree of raaturation." I fear I can add nothing 
father than has already been stated at page 238, in reply to Mr. Greene's questions 
1, 2, & 3. Put it thus — If r=illustraria, D=delunaria, and ^"^ = Winter; then, 
if there be but one brood in the year, the sequence will be I^I^^I, and so on ; if 
two broods, I-Dm^I-D—I-B, and so on ; if three broods, I-D-D— I-D-D— , and so on. 
Certainly illustraria is generally larger than dehmaria ; but then delunaria may be 
much largei- than illustraria. 
All Mr. Greene's examples were forced after pupal hybernation. Had they 
emerged before that event, there would have been found — or I am much mistaken — 
considerable modification, always presuming the si^ecies experimented with to be 
possessed of some discernible degree of variability. If Mr. (x. will test this with 
such species as Tephrosia biundularia and crepuscularia, he will see what I mean. 
With deference to my friend, I submit that his results do but prove that all 
insects have not a like tendency to variation. With regard to Clostera, however, — 
in C. anachoreta at any rate, — there is an appreciable difference between the first 
and second broods ; and whenever a third brood is obtained, it resembles the 
second (not the first) brood, just as in the case of S. illustrana. T should like to 
have replied at greater length, but want of space compels me to be thus brief. — 
H. G. K. 
Macroglossa stcUatarum and walls. — At the meeting of the Entomological 
Society held in January last, Mr. McLachlan enquired if any member could offer an 
explanation of the jaropensity in this insect to settle on sunny walls, &c. Mr. 
Eaton suggested the increased heat afforded by the walls, &c. , Mr. McLachlan 
considers Mr. Eaton's the most plausible explanation he has yet heard, but at the 
same time expresses a wish for any additional suggestions. 
A few days since I was reading over some of the back volumes of the 
" Zoologist "—an endless fund of instruction and amusement. In the vol. for 1851 
will be found descriptions, by M. de la Chaumette, of the larvae of various 
Spliingidae, and amongst others, that of Macroglossa stellatarum. While reading 
over the description, I came across the following passage, which struck me at once. 
The italics are mine : — " I have always found the larva of this insect on the Oalium 
" mollugo, which is found growing on old v}alls exposed to the sun, and it is against 
