of a Hybrid Smerintlius. ' 197 



resembling either sex of both black game and pheasant. It 

 would be very interesting to ascertain whether such a hybrid as 

 this would breed, or whether, unlike the hybrids between the 

 common and Chinese geese, it would be sterile ; this information 

 would, in fact, give a further clue to the decision of the question, 

 whether the theory of John Hunter be or be not correct ? Still 

 in the vertebrated animals it remains to be proved, after admitting 

 that fertile hybrids may be produced between two closely allied 

 but distinct species, what are the limits to the production of sterile 

 hybrids ? Copulation may, from some untoward circumstance or 

 other, take place between two animals widely separated in their 

 natural relations, but there must be some, although yet unascer- 

 tained, limits to the production of hybrids. 



Thus there are already numerous instances on record in which 

 insects of different species, genera and even orders, have been 

 coupled together, and there have been opinions given upon the 

 subject by eminent Entomological physiologists, to each of which 

 it will be interesting to recall the attention of the Society. 



In the fourth volume of Germar's Magazin der Entomologie 

 (p. 404—409, translated in Silbermann's Rev. Ent. No. 3,) an 

 account is given, from the observation of Rossi, (published in the 

 Memorie della Societa Italiana, tom. viii. p. 119,) of a connexion 

 between Telephorus melanurus $ and Elater niger $ ; likewise, 

 from the observation of Midler of Odenbach, between Chrysomela 

 poUta $ and Ch. gramlnis i^ , and Donacia simplex $ andJpoderus 

 Coryli 2 • 



Treviranus, also, (Vermischte Schriften, vol. i. p. 22,) cites 

 Voigt's Magazin (f. d. Neusten Zustand der Naturkunde, book ix. 

 St. 3, s. 232) for a similar connexion between a male Melolontha 

 agricola and a female of Cctonia hirta. 



Linnaeus, in the last edition of the " Systema Naturae," p. 587, 

 states, that Midler had observed Chrysomela graminis and Chry- 

 somela cenea in copulation together, and that he had himself seen 

 Chrysomela cenea and Ch. (Adimonia) aim similarly situated. 

 Midler, however, in his work on the Hijdrachncs, (Introduction, 

 p. xix.) states, that Linuceus had been mistaken in the former 

 assertion, and that the species which he had thus detected were 

 Chrysomela cenea and alni. And that he had, moreover, found 

 Hipparchia jurthia and janira (which at that period were regarded 

 as distinct species, but are now ascertained to be the sexes of the 

 same species) similarly coupled. 



Mr. MacLeay also detected a species of Chrysomela in con- 

 nexion with a Galeruca. Marsham observed a similar circum- 



