50 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



have been commonly observed in this neighbourhood, where the black variety 

 is taken as freely as the ordinary type. Some years ago, when I was a 

 member of the Middleton (Lancashire) Entomological Society, two of the 

 members found a l)lack male and a buff female united. These were two 

 extreme varieties, and from this copulation many pure buff varieties, as 

 well as jet-black ones, were produced. For several years, offspring of these 

 insects were brought to the monthly meetings, showing variation in 

 every form, from the ordinary type to a pure buff, as well as black. It was 

 most interesting to see these insects, some of which wore exhibited alive. 

 I had myself a few larvte from these parents given to me, from which I 

 raised two buff varieties, one of which I gave to a friend. — J. T. Rodgers ; 

 45, Radcliffe Street, Busk, Oldham, Manchester, December 19, 1888. 



Extraction of Moth from Pupa. — I have just read, with much 

 interest, Mr. J. Anderson's note on the extraction of a moth from its pupa 

 (Entom. xxi. 236 1, having made several experiments of the same nature 

 myself with, however, quite opposite results. In 1880 I carefully extracted 

 a fully developed specimen of Amphidasys hetxdaria from the pupa, and 

 although the markings were all clearly discernible, the wings never 

 expanded to a larger size than they were while the insect was in its pupa. 

 In October, 1887, I had about ten pupae of Charagia vlrescens amongst 

 damp moss. These insects always have considerable difficulty in emerging 

 when in captivity, as in their natural condition they are in the habit of only 

 projecting the anterior portion of their body from the burrow in the tree, 

 the spines on ihe abdomen of the pupa retaining the old case firmly, while 

 the enclosed insect draws itself out. I am therefore always very anxious 

 about these pupse, especially as they are very hard to obtain, and have con- 

 sequently lieen led to extract several which had been endeavouring to 

 emerge for some days previously; in all these cases, however, the wings 

 never expanded, the insects so treated being completely useless. That the 

 moths were quite mature there could be no doubt, as I always waited until 

 the thoracic plates were ruptured before I attempted to assist the moth. 

 As I have made at least eight experiments, including one this month on C. 

 virescen.'i, I caiuiot but think that Mr. Anderson's results must be exceptional. 

 — G. V. Hudson; Wellington, New Zealand, October 17, 1888. 



Retahded Development. — Early in June I received some young 

 larvae of Bombyx caslreiisis from a friend. Two larvae are still feeding, 

 though the otliers have long since pupated. Last month I took over eighty 

 larvae of Anarta myrtilli on the Quantock Hills, and a few are yet left 

 feeding. Li my garden I have a number of larvae of Pieris brassiccB in 

 various stages, while but four days ago, an imago of Plusia gamma 

 emerged from a pupa in my cage. In 1886 I had some larvae of Lopho- 

 pteryx cuculla, which duly fed up and turned into pupae. All but two 

 emerged in June of last year. Of these two, one emerged the following 

 3rd of September, and the other on May 14th last. — (Rev.) J. Seymour 

 St. John ; Baltonsborough, Glastonbury, November 20, 1888. 



CroARiA reticul.^ta: Ekratum. — Mr. Murray desires it to be under- 

 stood that he has had poor success in rearing G. reticulata, whereas (Entom. 

 16, line 8) he was made to say that he had never reared that species. 



-[Ed.j. 



