Holmesdale Natural History Club. 



insects, the noise produced by it in the pupal state being equally discernible 

 with that of Convolvuli or Atropos, though in a lesser degree. Many of the 

 family bury themselves deeply in the soil when about to change to the 

 chrysalis ; others, often of the same species, wander so long after being full 

 led, that they will at last change under a few leaves, or even on the bare sur- 

 face of the ground ; these latter, I believe, sometimes appear in the autumn, 

 or, if not destroyed by some of their numerous foes, in the ensuing year. 



The long-vexed question of why these moths recur in numbers at 

 -irregular periods, I believe, is dependent on the depth to which the larvss 

 have burrowed and the weather of succeeding seasons. Unfortunately 

 when a few years ago I made experiments on the subject, 1 had insuf- 

 ficient pupee (only seven hundred in all) to finally settle the matter, 

 though I bred images for three years in succession. This habit of burrow- 

 ing is quite consistent with their great restlessness previous to the insect 

 escaping from the pupa, as it would naturally bring the chrysalis nearer the 

 surface of the ground. A similar movement is observable in many other 

 families, such as Cossus, Nonagria, &c. Those who have bred Sesii^. 

 myopseformis, culicLformis, or chrysideformis will have noticed the same 

 -thing; frequently the pupa, having released itself from its silk-lined 

 chamber, will appear at the final hole of exit in the food-plant or stump for 

 a succession of mornings previous to its emergence, falling back afterwards 

 as though the weather were not sufficiently inviting. At times the pupn 

 will so far protrude itself as to lose its balance, buu in such cases I have 

 seldom known the imago to emerge except as a cripple ; indeed they seem 

 to be very tender and impatient of the slightest touch, or even full exposure 

 to the air. It is one of the peculiarities of this family that the insect can' 

 postpone the period of emergence from day to day without any perceptible 

 ill effects ; the morning sunshine is their delight, and their hour of birth 

 from 8 to 9. One noticeable fact connected with it is the rapidity with 

 which the final change takes place ; owing to the movement to and fro of 

 the insect's head the pupa- case gives way on either side of the antennas in 

 a very distinct manner ; this portion is thrown backward, whilst the imago, 

 propelled quickly forward, is forced from the chrysalis with a jerk, almost 

 insensibly reminding one of the Zazel cannon trick. The strength of limb 

 which they at once appear to possess is only shared, so far as I know, with 

 the Nepticulidffl, who are even more active. Their wings are well 

 developed and covered with transparent iridescent scales. In the necessary 

 after development the wings do not rumple so much as other species, from 

 the simple manner in which the nerve bones are arranged. 



The emergence of Lepidoptera from the hard cocoons many of the species 

 construct has frequently been considered by writers, but oddly enough no one 

 seems to have taken the pains to verify their con j ectures ; thus errors of observa- 

 tion have been quoted and re-quoted for the last 150 years by different book- 

 makers who have called themselves naturalists. Three probable modes have 

 been suggested, viz. — (1.) That the chrysalis or imago has power to push its 

 ■way out by main force. (2.) That a softening liquid is ejected from within 



