cl 
obtained by that means. There can be no doubt that disguise will be found to be 
carried to as great a length in chrysalides of butterflies as in any other class or 
stage of insect life, as their evading observation, and consequent security during a 
considerable portion of their lives, must depend scle/y upon this power which they 
unconsciously possess.” 
Mr. A. G. Butler (who was present as a visitor) stated that he had obtained a red 
or rosy chrysalis of Pieris Rapw, which had undergone its transformation in a piece 
of scarlet cloth; and pupe upon glass were generally of a pale slate-colour. 
| Mr. J. Jenner Weir said that, whatever might be the explanation, he could speak 
to the fact that metallic chrysalides were for some reason or otler obnoxious to birds 
and free from their attacks. 
Mr. Bond combatted Mr. Wood’s theory; he had had thousands of pupe of 
Papilio Machaon, and had often had the brown variety of pupa on a green ground- 
colour, whilst in some seasons he obtained no brown specimens at all: as regards 
Pieris Rapa, he had noticed that the pupe of the second brvod were generally rather 
paler than the first brood; but in the same green-house, the doors and wood-work of 
which were painted white, he had found chrysalides of all the exhibited colours, many 
of them quite as dark as those shown by Mr. Wood on black surfaces; on the same 
wall, built of particularly red bricks, he had found all the colours except the red; on 
the same twig of the common garden rocket, subject to precisely the same external 
influences, he had often noticed three or four pupe of Anthocharis Cardamines, and at 
times the twig would produce red, green and white varieties, while at other times all 
the pup were of the same colour. 
Papers read. 
The following papers were read :— 
“A Revision of the Australian Buprestide described by the late Rev. F. W. Hope,” 
by Mr. Edward Saunders. 
“ Descriptions of some new Species of Diurnal Lepidoptera,” by Mr. W. C. 
Hewitson. 
“A Monograph of the Genus Thais of the Family Papilionide,” by the Rev. 
Douglas C. Timins. The following seven species were enumerated and figures of each 
exhibited :— 
“1. Thais Cassandra (Boisd. Icon. pl. iii. fig. 1,2; Hiibn. Pap. fig. 910—913. 
T. Hypsipyle, Godt. Pap. Fr. ii. pl.2 C, fig. 1,25; larva figured by Boisduval Rambert 
et Graslin, Coll. Icon. Chenilles Papil. pl. ii. fig. 1—3). The larva feeds on several 
species of Aristolochia: it varies much in colour, but is generally pale reddish, spotted 
with black. The pupa state lasts from November to March; the pupa is reddish 
brown, the wing-cases yellowish. I have found this species at Cannes and Hyéres: it 
is of very short duration and very sluggish, frequenting marshy grounds, where it flies 
lazily from flower to flower, settling with expanded wings. Near Cannes it is very 
common in some marshy meadows on the road to Auribeau; at Hyéres it is com- 
/paratively rare; near Horace Vernet’s chateau, about ten miles from Hyéres, it is 
plentiful on a patch of marshy ground. This species usually appears on the wing in 
March, about the 15th, and after a fortnight few good specimens are to be seen. The 
time of appearance, however, varies much: in forward seasons it appears in February, 
but in 1864 and 18605 it was not on the w:ng until April. Slight varieties occur, the 
