s 
PSYCHE 
[Februarj- 
Section 25. Getting butterfly eggs for rearing. Under this practical title author 
has some interesting biological notes on the egg-laying of butterflies. Parnassius, 
Argynnis, Euptoicta Neonympha, and all genera of Satyridae “will lay their eggs 
upon atmliing, even on the net itself if other matters, as proper shade, warmth, 
air and quiet, are agreeable.” All other butterflies demand their own peculiar 
larval food plant, “and it is nece.ssary that the plant should be fresh and bright, as 
the ljutterflv will not oviposit on a plant that is at all wilted.” 
Section .37. Breeding in darkne.ss and in cold. “When caterpillars are bred 
or raised in darkness from egg to imago, the resulting imago will be darker in color 
than the normal; the dark .spots or lines will be broader and more dense or dusky 
and the lighter ones will be sordid or dusky. But no excessive variation or deviation 
from the plan of the normal form has ever been noticed, for the effort has many and 
many times been made to create new forms by this method.” So also by cold. 
Caterpillars raised in an ice house or in cold storage where the temperature is kept 
down as low as ])ossible will never develop any radical variation, but the butterflies 
will be darker than they would have been if rai.setl in a normal temperature. 
Section 3S. Migration of hutterflie-'<. Describes large swarms or flights of 
Pvrameis cardui, not always in the same direction, but generally to the northward. 
Some came from Baja California and reached British (^olumbia! 
L.vrge Butteufi.y C.vi'TriiEi) by Cr-yb-,si>ii)ek. — On the 13th of August, 
1005, a swallow tail l)utterfly {Papilio troilu.': L.) was found lying dead by the siile 
of the Amboy Road at Tottenville, Staten Island. Clinging to the body of the 
butterfly under one of its wings, was a small whitish crab-spider 7 mm. long, such 
as is often found on flowers awaiting its insect jirey. Evidently the large butterfly 
had been attacked by the small spider, and had flown away with it, only to die later 
bv the side of the road. There were no flowers near and the butterfly must necessarily 
have flown some distance before being overcome. 
The spider has been shown to Mr. J. II. Emerton, who says it is Mi.mmena 
aleatoria; a species commonly found on the blossoms of wild carrot and thorough- 
wort where it sits between the flowers and catches butterflies and other insects that 
alight on them. He adds; — “A butterfly a little too large might easily carry a 
spider away as yours appears to liave done.” — \Vm. T. D.yvis. 
