86 Extract of a Letter from Capt. T. Hutton. 



goid), I have detached, and placed separately a spur and a wing 

 in the inclosed paper. And you will still see, on the shoulder 

 joint of the wing, a strong, hard, black spur, with a sharp point 

 and cutting edge. The point of this instrument is thrust through 

 the cocoon, and the cutting edge drawn across the fibres, until 

 severed sufficiently to enable the moth to come forth. Place the 

 wing horizontally before your eye, and look from the anterior 

 edge along the apex, and the spur will be visible. 



Of the " Bonihyx Htittuni," I will bring home specimens of the 

 perfect insect, and also their eggs, in order that you may see the 

 caterpillars. Cocoons and samples of the silk wound off also. 



I hope the Actias may be worthy of notice in your new work, 

 which I have not yet had an opportunity of seeing ; and that you 

 will give dissections of the wing, in order to show the spur. If 

 I can get some autumn cocoons I will bring them or send them, 

 in order that you may see the process, and seeing believe! 



Cheirotonus McLeayii is not a rare insect, although a very local 

 one. Several occur in private collections here, but I cannot get 

 them. I have one male slightly injured in the elytra, and a dimi- 

 nutive male. It is a sap feeder, and may be seen in company 

 with crowds of stag beetles, sucking up the juice as it flows from 

 wounds in the trees. They breed in decaying oak trees {quercus 

 incana). I sent you a notice of some butterflies long since, which 

 I hope you received. 



