28<t THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Larva rapidly changing colour. — I wish to ask whether 

 it is known that a lepidopterous larva can change its colour 

 rapidly. I was walking in our garden here to-day in company of 

 my wife, and detected a larva (that of a Noctua) busily engaged 

 in devouring the flower of a marigold. I picked off the flower, 

 the larva being attached, and showed it to mj^ wife, the larva 

 being then a dull brown. In the course of two or three seconds it 

 became evidently to us both a decided blue, and, before I had 

 reached the house with it, again became brown. I do not know 

 the species of larva, but it is in the breeding-cage still at work 

 on the marigold, and remains brown. The swarms of "whites" 

 here have been phenomenal, and in the clover fields nearly every 

 flower-head has been conspicuous by its rifling Pieris. — Windsor 

 Hambrough ; Hamilton House, Odiham, Hants, Sept., 1887. 



Preservation of Neuroptera. — In the 'Entomologist' (p. 

 115) the Rev. Dr. Walker asked if any of your readers could 

 inform him how to preserve the colours of Neuroptera, but I have 

 seen no reply, and by what I read and hear there is no way 

 known by which the splendid colours of these insects can be 

 preserved. Though I am not confident of having overcome the 

 difiiculty, yet I venture to say the following will be found to be 

 of some use : — Cut open the ventral side of the abdomen and 

 thorax with a small pair of scissors, and extract the contents 

 immediately the insect is dead ; then drop into the cavity some 

 drops of benzine, or, as my bottle is labelled, " benzole rectified," 

 and shake in some carbonate of magnesia to absorb the spirit and 

 grease ; a few minutes afterwards the magnesia can be removed 

 by blowing, and brushing with a camel's-hair brush ; the quicker 

 and more thoroughly the contents are removed the better, after 

 the insect is dead. With this post I send you a male and female 

 of a species of dragonfly, Gordulegaster annulatm, thus treated, 

 that you might see the result. They have been done nearly two 

 months. The smaller species of Neuroptera require careful 

 handling, but with a little practice that difficulty will be overcome. 

 The best way, or rather the way I kill tbem, is by dropping two 

 drops of chloroform on the under side of the thorax of the large 

 draf'onflies, which kills them instantly ; and one drop is sufficient 

 for the Demoiselle {Calepteryx spleudens), which fortunately does 

 not fade nor shrink. An hour or two should elapse before tliey are 

 set, as the chloroform makes them stiff for a bit. You will see 



