2688 The Zoologist— July, 1871. 



killed by cyanide of potassium, and which, in consequence, were changed to 

 vermilion. 



The hope was expressed that these interesting experiments would not be 

 taken advantage of by unscrupulous persons, in consequence of the prevailing 

 disposition to pay high prices for vaiieties of common Lepidoptera. 



Mr. W. C. Boyd exhibited an example of Rumia crataegata, taken at 

 Stoke Newington, the apical portion of one anterior wing of which was 

 suffused with brown, the insect being in that condition when caught. 



Mr. Miiller exhibited the bell-shapod nest of the spider Aglena brunnea. 

 Also fresh specimens of the cabbage-galls formed by an undescribed species 

 of four-legged Acari belonging to the genus Phytoptus, upon birch ; these 

 galls were unusually common this season. 



Mr. F. Smith exhibited three rare British Hymenopterous insects sent to 

 him by Mr. J. C. Dale, of Glanville's Wootton, in which neighbourhood they 

 had been captui'ed. They were Myrmecomorphus rufescens (a remarkable 

 species of Proctotrupida?), Ichneumon glaucopterus and Osmia pilicomis. 



Mr. Holdsworth, of Shanghai, communicated the following notes on the 

 method pursued in China in rearing the silk-producing Bombyx Pemyi, 

 extracted from a Shanghai newspaper : — 



"Bombyx Pernyi feeds exclusively on oak leaves, producing a reddish 

 gray cocoon, from which is spun a fine glossy thread ; breeds and forms 

 cocoons twice a year, and, unlike Bombyx mori, its chrysalis, after the 

 second production, remains in the cocoon till the following spring. Two 

 kinds of oaks are used for its food : one with narrow serrated leaves and 

 conical acorns, the other with broad and long leaves with short round acorns. 

 The latter kind is preferred on account of supplying a larger amount of 

 food. The trunks of the oak trees are cut, as will be explained in the 

 notes, for two reasons : first, to keep the branches within easy reach ; 

 secondly, to obtain a better adapted quality of leaves at the requisite time 

 of the season. The alternate use of the bushes is necessary to keep up the 

 successive production of cocoons without damaging the bushes, which would 

 suffer if deprived of leaves twice in the same season, and also to allow 

 sufficient time for them to grow. The dissimilarity of treatment between 

 the fii-st and second production is simply caused by the difference of time of 

 the season in which they take place. At the first production the newly 

 hatched worms, if transferred at once on the bushes in the open air, would 

 be liable to total destruction by a too gi"eat fall of temperature ; while no 

 such danger is incurred late in summer, when the second production is pro- 

 gressing. It can easily be seen that Bombyx Pernyi could be raised 

 altogether within doors ; but by so doing it would entail more labour in 

 keeping it supplied with food, besides requiring the continual cutting of 

 fresh branches. This would not only cause a great waste of leaves, but 

 limit the supply. 



