THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 277 



thread, which, though composed of several threads, was 

 uncommonly fine, and thinner than a hair; thus it lay, 

 patiently wailing for its change. Meanwhile it curled itself 

 somewhat more together, or became a little shorter and 

 thicker, and the following day changed itself into a pupa. . . . 

 Between this pupa and that of the small white butterfly there 

 is likewise scarcely any difference, but the former is some- 

 what more yellowish and less speckled than the latter. In the 

 course of eight days our pupa changed in colour, and was 

 strikingly yellower : at last the wings of the butterfly began 

 actually to appear through the pupal case. 



§ 5. — Finally, after our insect had passed ten days in the 

 pupal state it appeared in its last, or glorious form, being now 

 a perfect butterfly, which, although it had no gleaming colours, 

 charmed the eye by its beautiful whiteness, coupled with 

 modest yellow, which set off strongly its black ornaments ; 

 or with its wings folded over its back, with their under side 

 striped with a greenish gray; which has given occasion to the 

 name of the insect, I beg further to make the observation, 

 that this insect is found twice a year, namely, spring and 

 summer. 



The Classification of the Rhynchophorous Coleoptera* 

 By John L. Leconte, M.D. 



[Reprinted from the 'American Naturalist' for July, 1874.] 



At a meeting of the Academy held in Washington, 

 January, 1867, I had the honour to offer some remarks f 

 upon the systematic value of the great complex of Coleopterous 

 insects known as Rhynchophora. 



It was my intention, as then stated, to follow the memoir 

 just mentioned with another, in which the classification of 

 the Rhynchophora and separation into families should be 

 discussed, in the hope of developing a more satisfactory 

 system of arrangement than had been thus far obtained. 



Circumstances have prevented me from following this 

 particular line of investigation, to a definite result, until 



* Read before the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, April 21, 

 1874. 



+ ' Am. Jour. Science and Arts,' xliv. ; July, 1807. 



