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August 12. — On " Certain Facts in the Life-History of 

 Moths and Butterflies," by Mr. T. W. Wonfor. 

 In rearing Lepidoptera, for the purpose of 

 determining the possession of a distinctive scale 

 by the males, several facts, some well known, 

 others opposed to generally-received opinions, 

 and others of a novel character had forced them- 

 selves on his notice. As was well known, the 

 Lepndoptera, in passing from the egg to the 

 mature state, underwent the several changes of 

 larva, pupa^ and iinacjo. In two, and in some 

 cases in only one of them, did the insect partake 

 of food. For while all were voracious in the 

 larval state, and while many possessed a proboscis 

 of great length, other species did not possess 

 any suctorial apparatus, and, therefore, could 

 not take food. The parent, as a rule, laid the 

 eggs on or near the food-substance of the larvEe, 

 the gradual development of which, in many 

 transparent eggs, can be watched under the 

 microscope. While the changes are taking 

 place, the colour of the egg also changes. As 

 soon as the larva is ready to escape, it eats its 

 way out very seldom at the apex or macropyle, 

 where some writers assert it always escapes, but 

 generally below and at one side. The eggs of 

 many are very beautiful objects for the micro- 

 scope. The larvte of various, — and some of 

 peculiar forms and habits, spend their time in 

 eating and changing their skins. In fact, the 

 chief aim of their existence at this stage is 

 storing up vitality to enable them to undergo 

 their further changes ; for, when supplied with 

 insufficient food or alternately starved and fed, 

 the imago stage is either uot reached or a 



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