isev.j ^7 
omitted ; however, two spun up quite in the usual Lyc^na style, on a 
white silken web, and with a thread round the body ; one of these was 
in the cavity of an old elm leaf, the other on a willow leaf between stems 
of Artetnisia,\fh\ch it had drawn together with some transverse threads, 
forming as it were the rudiments of a cocoon. By the 28th of April all 
the eight had assumed the pupa state. (Out-of-doors the larva), owing 
to the hitherto inclement weather, were certainly not so far advanced). 
The pupa has the usual Lycmna form, is 4 — 5 lines long, the males 
small and more slender than the females, naked, only at the head and 
on the upper part of the back with isolated very short whitish bristles, 
only perceptible by the aid of a lens ; the colour is a rather transparent 
pale amber, more or less greenish, with slight lustre, the opaque abdo- 
men is more of a pale yellow. Over th^ eye is a short, curved, shining 
black line. The convex thorax is separated from the equally convex 
back of the abdomen by a saddle-like depression. The abdomen has 
along the back a longitudinal line of reddish-purple, more or less bril- 
liant, and a similar lateral stripe of different breadth, which also shines 
through the upper margin of the wing-cover. The anal end, which is 
concealed in the empty larva-skin, is bluntly rounded and without spines 
or bristles. It is immoveable, and is held fast by a fine white thread, 
which is drawn round the commencement of the abdomen, and by the 
exuvia, on its silken couch. The exclusion of the imago takes place 
according to the temperature, in from two to three weeks. 
It appears now to be generally accepted that Lyccena Artaxerxes is 
nly a variety of i. Medon. The former in the larva state feeds on Hellaw 
themum vulqare. Although it appears to me extremely improbable that 
the larva of L. Medon should habituate itself to this food, and although 
1 even doubt whether it could be fed with species of Geranium, yet I 
will endeavour to make some experiments on this head. But as it de- 
pends very much on accident whether I can obtain the needful eggs, it 
would be very desirable that others, who are disposed to the solution of 
such important questions, should not allow any favourable opportunity 
which occurs to them to escape. I should much rejoice if some other 
Entomologist were to be beforehand with me, and would publish his 
attempts in detail. I do not recognize in my four English Salmacis any 
transition to my ten specimens of Artaxerxes, in all of which the black 
transverse streak in the white discoidal spot of the anterior wings is 
entirely wanting. 
Meseritz, 1867. 
