36 CATALOGUE OF 



Another curious instance of instinct yet remains to be noticed. 

 The butterfly, so soon as ever it has escaped from the puparium, 

 must make its escape out of the hole formed by the larva; delay 

 would be death, as the wings would soon acquire their full expansion 

 of nearly a couple of inches ; in which state it would, of course, be 

 unable to creep out. 



In the chrysalis state, the belly of the insect is placed in contact 

 with the inner surface of the fruit ; consequently, as the slit by 

 which the butterfly escapes out of the puparium extends along the 

 back, the under surface of the latter remains entire, the anterior 

 lateral portions on each side the slit (extending as far as the whole 

 coverings of the wings) curling up and lying close upon those parts 

 which had covered the breast and limbs, leaving the abdominal 

 portion in the same form as when it inclosed the insect." 



E. T. Downes, Esq., in the Calcutta Journal of Natural History, 

 observes : " I am induced to call the attention of Entomologists to 

 the caterpillar of the butterfly which is so destructive to the fruit of 

 the pomegranate (Punicea granatum), as my observations regarding 

 its habits do not correspond with the account given above. At the 

 time the pomegranate is in flower, and at a very early period, the 

 Hair Streak may be seen very busily occupied about the flowers, and 

 I have little doubt that the eggs are deposited at the bottom of the 

 calyx, from the position in which I have seen the abdomen of the 

 butterfly placed ; as the fruit enlarges, the eggs are inclosed, and in 

 this situation matured. Recollecting the history of this insect, I 

 determined to enjoy the pleasure of seeing it go through its various 

 stages (the pomegranate-tree being close to my door). In order 

 that I might obtain a perfect insect, I surrounded several of the 

 fruit with fine gauze, but in such a manner as not in the least to 

 interfere with the caterpillar in its labour of connecting the fruit 

 and stalk by means of the web ; but, to my astonishment and disap- 

 pointment, this never took place ; the caterpillars issued from the 

 fruit, and, finding their escape impeded, underwent their change on 

 the external part ; and so soon as this was effected, I removed the 

 fruit from the tree for the purpose of placing it in a musquito gauze 

 house in my room. Subsequently, I examined several of the fruit, 

 but I never found any chrysalidse, or the remains of any, inside the 

 fruit. I was very careful in my observations, and I came to the 

 conclusion that the caterpillars, in this instance, deserted the fruit 

 when ready to undergo their change ; and I have no doubt of the 

 butterfly being the same, viz., ' Thecla Isocrates.^ " 



