15 



NOTES AND OBSEEVATIONS. 



Generic Names. — At the present time we are passing through a 

 transition period as regards the classification of Lepidoptera, but 

 probably it will be many years hence before the matter is adjusted, in 

 any comprehensive way, to the satisfaction of everyone. As regards 

 the arrangement of 'genera or species in our collections, it is not 

 perhaps of much importance, except to the owner himself, what 

 system is adopted, or in what order the families follow each other. 

 The chief point is that we know where to find a species when wanted. 

 A matter which is a greater source of trouble, and causes no little con- 

 fusion and some misunderstanding, is that in nomenclature various 

 authors are being followed. It would be a great convenience if those 

 of our correspondents who prefer to use the more recently introduced 

 or revived generic names would also give the genus in which species 

 previously stood. If, for example, Aglais is adopted for urticcs, it 

 would not entail very much trouble to add Vanessa in brackets. A 

 little uniformity in this respect would certainly be appreciated by the 

 majority of the readers of the ' Entomologist.' The Editor is always 

 pleased to make these additions, but unfortunately manuscript is 

 sometimes so closely written that it is not possible to do so conve- 

 niently ; the same remark applies also to those cases where generic 

 names are omitted altogether. 



Observations on Sphinx (Phlegethontius) convolvuli. — A female 

 S. convolvuli was captured in a neighbour's garden on July 18th last, 

 and brought to me. I induced it to deposit ova. On the 20th I had the 

 satisfaction of finding twenty-five eggs on the food-plant supplied — 

 Convolvulus arvensis, and eight more on the 21st. The moth died on the 

 following day ; its body was then opened, and some hundreds of eggs 

 were found. In colour the eggs were bright emerald green, and much 

 smaller than those of S. ligustri. The larvae emerged on the 27th and 

 28th ; these were whitish green ; the anal horn was not curved, but 

 erect, dull black, and rough. The first moult did not change appear- 

 ance. After the second moult the ground colour was pale green with 

 a dark green dorsal line, head and anal claspers greenish brown ; so 

 far no oblique stripes were visible. The next change produced two 

 varieties ; in one the ground colour was pale green with seven oblique 

 whitish stripes bordered with a darker colour, anal horn black at its 

 apex and base with a greenish band round the centre ; the second 

 variety had its head purplish brown, a broad dorsal line of the same 

 colour inclining to green in the centre, spiracles and seven oblique 

 stripes purple, claspers dark greenish brown, horn black. Fourth 

 change, a broad dorsal line of dark grey minutely speckled with 

 yellow ; a yellow subdorsal line ; below this a broad line of grey with 

 stripes of yellow ; spiracles bright red ; claspers and under side dark 

 grey ; horn : tip black bordered with a yellow band and a second band 

 of black, the base rufous. By the end of August about half the 

 larvae died, the remainder looking very unhealthy, caring little for the 

 food offered. My brother having had much experience in rearing 

 larvas of British Sphingidas, I gave them to his charge, unfortunately 

 too late ; however, he put the remaining larvas on a living plant 



