on some Mummied Beetles. 193 



above stated, I will merely notice that Dr. Clarke thinks that Scara- 

 hceus sacer was the food of the Ibis, and that his remarks seem 

 confined to that insect. We have, however, now sufficient grounds 

 for asserting that the Ibis fed on other insects besides the Scara- 

 hceus sacer, for, on examining the insects submitted to me by Sir 

 Gardner U ilkinson, other species have been recognized. Instead, 

 therefore, of applying the above passage to the Scarabceits sacer, 

 we must consider that the Ibis fed on various beetles, and not on 

 one particular species. My chief reason for recommending this 

 interpretation of Dr. Clarke's remarks is to prevent an error 

 which might otherwise become general. I have heard it asserted, 

 in direct terms, that the Ibis in a domesticated state fed on the 

 Scarabceits sacer. I do not pretend to be learned in Egyptian 

 wisdom. I venture, however, to express an opinion, that it seems 

 most improbable that an Egyptian priest would feed one sacred 

 animal with another considered nearly as sacred ; one, at least, in 

 high esteem and veneration throughout the ancient Egyptian 

 empire. 



XXVIII. — Notice of the occurrence of Hybrid Individuals 

 occurring in the Genus Smerinthiis. By Mr. Henry 

 House. In a Letter addressed to W. Raddon, Esq. 



[Read 6th November, 1837.] 



Durdham Down Nurseries, Sept. 29th, 1837. 

 Sir, 

 In compliance with your's of to day, I beg to state, that the idea 

 of an hybrid between Smcrhithus ocellatus and popidi originated 

 in my mind about ten years ago, and from that time till the 

 present I have adopted every method that my fancy could devise 

 to bring about my experiment ; at length, wearied with unsuc- 

 cessful effort, I determined if I did not succeed this season I 

 never would try again. 



You know I always keep my subterraneous chrysalides in large 

 garden pots, filled within about two inches of the brim with light 

 sandy loam, hooped over the top with wire, and covered with 

 gauze, leaving a space of eight or ten inches from the mould to 

 the top of the wires. When S. ocellatus began coming out, 

 (having them in one of those pots, and S.jwpuli in another,) I every 

 evening, before dusk or twilight, took out the females of /S'. ocellatus, 



