H86 Mr. F. Merrifield and Mr. E. B. Poulton on 



(15) ORANGE PAPER, (a) In strong light. 



3 pupae were light yellow- green (1 a). 



1 pupa was dark yellow- green (1 h). 



4 



(h) Through glass. 



The single pupa was dead or emerging, but appeared 

 to have been intermediate between daj-k and light grey 

 (2 a, h). 



(c) In shady corner. 



2 pupae were light yellow-green (1 a). 

 1 pupa was light grey (2 a). 



3 



As Mr. Merrifield has stated on p. 881, the examination 

 of these pupae seems " clearly to prove the susceptibility of 

 P. machaon." At the same time there was one unsatis- 

 factory point in the evidence, viz. the extremely unhealthy 

 condition of the pupae. A large solitary ichneumon began 

 to emerge from the pupae in the autumn of 1898, soon 

 after the date at which Mr. Merrifield showed them before 

 this Society (October 5th, 1898). At intervals they con- 

 tinued to emerge until the early summer ; and soon after 

 my examination was made on May 2nd, 1899, they 

 came out suddenly in large numbers. The ichneumons 

 almost invariably gnawed a hole in the pupal wing, in 

 order to escape. The whole batch produced very few 

 butterflies. 



It was unfortunate that press of work prevented me from 

 comparing the pupas until so late, when the discoloration 

 of many of them had proceeded so far ; but under any 

 circumstances it was much to be desired that the 

 susceptibility of undoubtedly healthy pupaa should be 

 tested. Such a test I have fortunately been able to apply, 

 and the result confirms Mr. Merrifield's conclusion in the 

 most complete and convincing manner, as may be seen 

 from the succeeding section. 



5. Mr. C. V. A. Peel's Winter Pup.e of Papilio machaon 



DESCRIBED. (E. B. P.) 



Through the kindness of Mr. Peel I have been able to 

 compare a fine set of very healthy pupae from Wicken 

 Fen. The pupae were in part attached to green reeds ; in 



