NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 197 



pupa? of F. levana subjected to the forcing process produced specimens 

 like some of those resulting from summer pupre which had been first 

 cooled and subsequently forced. On the other hand, iced and cooled 

 summer pupfe yielded forms which although larger in size are almost 

 identical in coloration with those emerging under normal conditions 

 from winter pupre. We understand that this collection, which is still 

 at the Museum, will only remain there for a short time longer. 



Melanism and Climatic Conditions. — Keferring to the paper on 

 this subject by Mr. G. W. Smith [ante, p. 127), a contemporary thinks 

 it is superficial and illogical, and adds: — "The author writes from 

 the College, Winchester, and the paper might readily be supposed to 

 emanate from a schoolboy who did not understand his subject. But 

 why such a prominent place in * The Entomologist' ? " The author 

 of the paper in question is not personally known to us, but if he be a 

 schoolboy, as suggested by the captious critic from whose note we 

 have quoted, his communication is at least free from disparaging 

 remarks concerning those who hold views opposed to his own, and 

 tbis is more than can always be said of the published writings of a 

 schoolmaster. Further, we are of opinion that the paper is not 

 illogical, and we have reason to believe that the author is fully 

 acquainted with his subject. The " prominent place " query may be 

 passed over as inconsequent. 



Hybrid and Mongrel Lepidoptera.— On a previous occasion I sug- 

 gested that those who were skilled in rearing Lepidoptera from the egg 

 should turn their attention to experiments in hybrid breeding, which, so 

 far, has not been attempted in any large way. Some idea of the possible 

 results in this direction is to be found in the specimens obtained by 

 Dr. Standfuss exhibited at the Eoyal Society and at the Natural 

 History Museum, South Kensington. Among these there were hybrids 

 developed from three different species, i.e. Saturnia pavonia [carpini), 

 S. pi/)i, and S. spini. The labels bearing information were not easy 

 to read, owing to the fact that they were obscured by the frame of the 

 table-case in which the species were placed, but from what I could 

 make out it would seem that hybrid males from a crossing of S. pi/ri 

 and S. pavonia paired with female «S'. sjnni, producing most interesting 

 ofi'spring. In another series there were the mongrel progeny of 

 crossings between (1) CalUmorpha dominula $■ and va^r. persona ? , 

 (2) persona $ and dominula $ . For the information of those who 

 may not be acquainted with the persona form of domimda, it may be 

 well to state that it has much smaller spots on the fore wings, and the 

 hind wings are black with an irregular yellow patch at the base and 

 one or two small yellow spots beyond. In these mongrel specimens 

 the characters of both parents were exhibited, but the tendency was 

 stronger in the direction of dominula ; the hind wings in both series 

 were of the typical colour, but a trifle paler in series 2. The results 

 of pairings between Spilosoma mendica and its var. rustica were some- 

 what similar to those obtained by Mr. Adkin a few years ago. — R. S. 



PlERIS BRASSIC.13 ATTRACTED BY ARTIFICIAL FlOWERS. Whilst Walking 



up Regent Street yesterday I noticed a P. brussiccs flying round and 



ENTOM. JULY, 1897. II 



