Pi'oceedings of the 



dissolving the gluten of the cocoon and producing an aperture for escape. 

 (3.) That the insect gnawg its way out. Now, rejecting the third opinion, 

 which cannot be upheld in this order, the insects of which are without 

 mandibles, we might perhaps be induced to refer to Hiibner, who suggested 

 their escape by cutting through the end of the cocoon by their eye-cap=", or 

 hard basal joint of the antennje ; but I fear I should be laughed at did I 

 seriously show cause against such an argument, so we must proceed to au 

 analysis of the first two ; and in considering the primary suggestion, viz., 

 that the chrysalis or imago has power to push its way out by main force we 

 find at once various naturalists adhering to it from contradictor}' points of 

 view. Some contend that the cocoon when first constructed is purposely 

 left weaker in one part than another, thus allowing more readily the escape 

 of the imago. This theory (though apparently easy of solution) has never 

 been really proved, the nearest aj)proach to it being noticed in the Tineina, 

 which group is not the subject of the argument ; and the genera Bucculatrii 

 and Nepticula, to which I presume they refer, make their cocoons of woven, 

 not of liquid iilk, the former being of course far more flexible and elastic 

 than the latter, and therefore more likely to j'ield to pressure from within. 

 Others contend that the hard nature of these cocoons would imply a 

 protection to the inmate from casualties and enemies from without, that 

 the exterior would therefore necessarily be constructed firmer than the- 

 interior, and be an external defence only, weak in itself, but strong 

 when supported by the inner part, which, yielding readily to pressure 

 from within, would easily be broken through by the pushing of the 

 chrysalis or perfect insect. I do not pretend to decide the quarrel, but will, 

 leave it to the room, adding the curious circumstance that each party points 

 to the cocoon of the Emperor moth (Saturnia carpini) as a case in point 

 ^which thoroughly upholds its argument. Now shortly to look at the second 

 suggestion, that the insect, by a softening liquid ejected when within, 

 dissolves the gluten of the cocoon, and produces au aperture for escape. 

 Seeing a hole by which the inmate had escaped, it was very natural to jump 

 to this conclusion, which, after all, was so very nigh the solution that we 

 need only read " softens " for " dissolves," and strike out the end of the 

 sentence to explain the mode in which the Cuspidates emerge. The 

 peculiar-looking larva and habit of pupation of Cerula vinula (the Puss 

 moth) has always had a charm for writers on entomology, yet not one of 

 the group has been so badly observed in those minute jjarticulars the record 

 of which materially affects the life-history of the subject; this maybe 

 perhaps partly owing to the awkward hour for observation (from 12 to 2 in 

 the day) chosen by preference for its emergence from the pupa— awkward 

 because the great proportion of entomologists are men occupied in com- 

 mercial or other pursuits which take up the middle of the day, and preclude 

 them from minutely following (even if so inclined) the final changes of this, 

 and similarly disposed insects. All who have reared specimens in confine- 

 ment know how fond caterpillars are of forming their cocoons one upon 

 another; this was indirectly the means of enabling me to record some 



