112 
PSYCHE. 
NOTES ON A FEW BOMBYCES, HYBRIDS, &C. 
BY ALFRED WAILLY, LONDON, ENGLAND. 
In my report on silk-producing bomby- 
ces and other lepidoptera, reprinted from 
the Journal of the Society of Arts, 13 Feb. 
and 5 March 1880,1I speak of the disas- 
trous effects of the weather on most species 
during the year 1879. 
This year, although the splendid weather 
in August and in the early part of Septem- 
ber allowed of the successful rearing of 
several species in the open air, the wet and 
cold weather lasting till about the end of 
July affected and retarded lepidoptera, as 
in 1879; for instance, the moths of Samia 
promethea had not all emerged before the 
end of August. With a few exceptions, 
none of the moths of Indian species emerged 
at all. 
Actias luna. I bred this species this 
year for the first time, and most success- 
fully, on walnut (Juglans). It thrived 
well also on a nut tree in my garden, to- 
gether with larvae of Telea polyphemus 
and Samia cecropia. Unfortunately the 
sparrows destroyed all the larvae which 
were on that tree, when they were already 
at the end of their third stage. My Euro- 
pean correspondents were all, I think, suc- 
cessful with the rearing of Actias luna. 
Yet I must observe that many ova obtained 
from well paired A. luna moths and ova of 
other species, were not fertile, a fact which 
I attribute to the low temperature of the 
month of June, affecting the moths. 
Samia gloveri. Of this species I re- 
ceived a very large number of cocoons from 
a young entomologist, but I regret to say 
the attempt at rearing them was the most 
complete failure that can be recorded. — 
The moths emerged, from the middle of 
April to the middle of July, with a few ex- 
ceptions, all crippled. The greater part 
of the cocoons did not produce moths ; some 
were dead on arriving in London; others 
died later, either from the attacks of para- 
Not a 
I would 
sites or from some other cause. 
single pairing could be obtained. 
be glad to try this species again. 
Samia ceanothi. Of about forty co- 
coons, the first moth emerged in March, 
the second on 3 April; the rest continued 
to emerge till 18 July. Only two pairings 
were obtained. The larvae, reared on 
plum (Prunus) and willow (Salix), did not 
thrive, and all died, some going into their 
third stage. None of my correspondents, 
as far as I know, succeeded with this spe- 
cies. Evidently, plum and willow are not 
proper food plants for S. ceanothi. 
The first pairing took place 27 June, the 
second 10 July. The ova of the first 
brood hatched 18 days, and those of the 
second, 15 days, after having been de- 
posited. 
The larvae, somewhat similar to those 
of S. cecropia in first and second stage, but 
of a lighter color, showed a marked differ- 
ence in the third stage, and were thus: 
Back of body, sky blue, sides greenish yel- 
low; tubercles golden yellow all along the 
back, and on the sides, blue ; head green. 
Hybrids. Although Samia gloveri re- 
fused to pair among themselves, I had sey- 
eral crossings between S. gloveri, S. cea- 
nothi, and S.cecropia. The ova obtained 
1 Psycue, Rec., no. 1717. 
