THE SPOTTED HOESE's STORY. 173 



which I knew something — "that a scientilic 

 person who has recently experimented upon 

 large numbers of Papilio asterias,Sind other sorts 

 of butterflies, concludes that the larvce, if under- 

 fed, are almost sure to develop into males, 

 whereas if they are freely fed, they are certain to 

 become females." The remark caused general 

 attention to be directed to me ; but I am quite 

 at a loss to understand why two young gentlemen 

 should have designated it " awfully good," and 

 accepted it as a joke. ' " Even in oysters," I con- 

 tinued, " conchologists have, I believe, decided 

 that the female is the larger and plumper. You 

 are, of course, aware, by the way, that our native 

 oysters are the best of all. Catullus terms the 

 Hellespont cceteris ostreosior oris, but there can 

 be no doubt that his countrymen gave our breeds 

 a very decided preference." 



I could in no wise account for the looks of 

 blank astonishment which were levelled at me 

 throughout the remainder of the meal, nor could 

 I tell what induced Captain Packenham, a young 

 Hussar, to take the vacant chair by my side 

 when the ladies had retired, and to slap me on 

 the back with a vigour which brought tears to 

 my eyes, and made me swallow a large piece of 

 preserved ginger with dangerous suddenness. 



"What are you driving at, old fellow ?" he 



