341 



tlielr wings ; on my return from a short walk I was agreeably sur- 

 prized to find them in coitu, and having a fine plant of Selinum 

 palustre in a garden pot, I placed it in the window of the room and 

 confined the female on it, as well as I could, with the blind. On the 

 29th she had deposited fourteen eggs, but appearing nearly exhausted 

 I supplied her with a little moistened sugar in a teaspoon, uncurling 

 her trunk with a pin ; she seemed to enjoy her feast, and being left 

 with the sash raised about an inch for the admission of air, made her 

 escape. The plant was returned to its place in the garden with the 

 eggs attached ; they were of an oval shape and of a pale green colour, 

 but changed in a few daj-s to steel blue, and, before the exclusion of 

 the caterpillar, to black. The first caterpillar was hatched on the 10th 

 of June, and the others on the following day ; they were at first black 

 and spiny, with a light- coloured patch in the middle of the back, but 

 at every change of skin acquired more of their brilliant colours, and 

 when full fed altogether looked very beautiful, and if touched darted 

 forth their retractile horns, scenting the garden very powerfully to 

 some distance. The shell of the e^^ was, in every instance, the first 

 meal of the caterpillars ; and the cast-off skin was always first eaten 

 after every change, which took place on the 18th and 26th of June, 

 and the 3rd and 13th of July, when they had completely stripped the 

 plant ; and not being able to get a fresh supply, 1 placed some car- 

 rot-leaves in a small jar of water, and introduced them amongst the 

 stalks of Selinum palustre : contrary to my expectations the caterpil- 

 lars fed on them without any apparent reluctance, and by the end of 

 the month were full fed. Up to this time, although left in the garden 

 day and night, they never quitted the plant, but now it was impossible 

 to keep them on it; and after one had been finally lost, the others 

 were removed into the breeding cage, where they passed into the 

 chrysalis state on tlie 30th and 31st of July and the 2nd of August. 

 The first butterfly was produced on the 14th of June, 1841, and ten 

 more in the course of a fortnight. One died in the chrysalis state, and 

 one continued in that state until this day, the 10th of May, 1842, when 

 a very fine and perfect female made her appearance. I tried very 

 much to continue the brood, but was unsuccessful. — W. Gaze ; La- 

 venham, May 10, 1842. 



184. Apiis Cancriformis. Having recently received several speci- 

 mens of the young of Apus Cancriformis in different stages of growth, 

 from the same locality as noticed in my communication of last year, 

 (Entomol. 226), I have no doubt of its breeding in this neighbourhood, 

 although search has been made in vain for any other localitity. It 



