Insects. 7405 



they were in profusion in 1859, none were seen in I860 : this T know from my own 

 observation in our locality. The practice of paring and burning the surface soil every 

 third year would in a great measure prevent the permanent settlement of the species 

 on our hills. The statement of Mr. Gregson seems to want further elucidation, to 

 satisfy the minds of those who cannot understand how the eggs of a butterfly can be 

 introduced into a seed protected by so hard an envelope. If the butterfly lays her eggs 

 upon a leaf or some portion of the stalk of the plant, I think then there would be no 

 difiiculty in the case. The lucerne is not cultivated on the Cotswolds, and I know 

 well what an attraction its flowers ofi'er to numerous species of butterflies, having seen 

 even small patches of it alive with them. — Joshua Brown ; Cirencester. 



[The interesting ingredient of the importation hypothesis will be found in the fact 

 that the observations of a hundred years go to show that the egg is always laid on the 

 leaf, and is always hatched within ten days of being laid, as I have stated in the 

 ' Butterfly Number,' p. 6, line 48. How during these ten days can it get into a sack 

 of clover'seed ? — Edward Newmari]. 



Eggs of the Genus Colias imported in Clover (see Zool. 7359). — I said in a paper 

 read before the Northern Entomological Society, on the subject of disputed or 

 imported species, that by carefully passing the bottoms, that is the last few pounds, 

 of sacks of seed, under my glass, I had succeeded in finding more than one 

 species of Lepidopterous eggs amongst the seed ; but as that paper was lost at the 

 Meeting, and only found again by accident, and returned to me by the friend who 

 found it amongst his papers, and has never been read by any one except the said 

 friend, or left ray hand since, I am at a loss to thiuk how Mr. Newman could construe 

 a sentence incidentally used in the 'Intelligencer' into such a fact as he tells us I 

 have discovered. In my paper I said I supposed that in dressing the seeds the eggs 

 were loosened, sieved with the seed, and so reached England. I showed that it was 

 quite impossible for certain species to reproduce themselves in certain localities with- 

 out being seen annually by the sharp eyes that were on the look-out for them, 

 instancing certain species in special localities, &c. A discussion ensued, ending in 

 its being shown that the eggs, like the seeds, could not be injured by the weight of the 

 seed upon them, &c. ; and I believe the paper gave general satisfaction, and was said 

 to have " opened quite a new point of view to look at disputed species from." I can- 

 not help saying that, having quite satisfied myself on this question, I thought so little 

 of the paper itself that I did not even know it was lost until I received it through the 

 post, accompanied by a letter saying that my friend had read it and was well pleased 

 with it. — C. S. Gregson ; Stanley, near Liverpool, February 12, 1861. 



[I have taken the liberty of striking out three paragraphs which bore rather 

 severely on London entomologists generally, and on myself in particular; the first, 

 because I stand alone in having introduced this matter to my readers, no one else 

 having taken any part therein ; secondly, because to any charges against myself 

 I ought in courtesy to reply ; and I believe I have not a single reader who would care 

 a straw either for the attack or defence. Mr. Gregson's words, as originally printed, 

 are these: — " I am quite ready to admit that the clouded yellows and other foreign 

 eggs, which are imported in clover and especially in lucerne seeds, might not hatch for 

 want of a high temperature, and so we should not have them amongst us." — ' Intelli- 

 gencer,' vol. ix. p. 56, the first line. I know nothing of Mr. Gregson's paper which 

 was lost and is found again ; iu fact I now read of such a paper for the first lime ; but 

 I would ask Mr. Gregson, as a favour to my readers and myself, to state explicitly, 



