1882.] THE secretary's report on the insect-house. 633 



larvae obtained, I did not succeed in rearing any, although every care 

 was taken to give them fresh food every morning and evening. The 

 young larvae fed well and appeared to be in excellent health, till the 

 second or third time of shedding their skins ; they then died by 

 dozens, principally from diarrhoea. I had several hundreds of the 

 larvae of Actias selene, which fed upon walnut. Some of these I 

 placed in a cage in the Gardeners' greenhouse, thinking perhaps 

 the Insect-house did not suit them; but they died there also, although 

 one or two grew to he about Ig inch long. Not only did these 

 exotic species die, but also such hardy European species as Sphinx 

 pinastri. 



Larvae which were introduced into the house nearly full-fed did 

 much better ; but those that were bred in it, with one or two excep- 

 tions, died. I am quite unable to say what was the cause of the 

 diarrhoea ; but I am inclined to think that the heat of the house 

 during the nights was too great. This, however, could not be avoided, 

 as it was necessar)'^ to keep the house very warm, on account of the 

 Birds-of-Paradise being there. 



It is generally said that the silk-producing Bombyces are much 

 degenerated by " breeding in ;" but this could hardly have been the 

 case with uictias selene, Attacus roylei, and Telea polyphemus, as 

 the insects from which the young larvae were bred were exceedingly 

 line, and it is rather difficult to get these species to pair in confinement ; 

 at the same time it is possible that these and other species (now 

 there is such a demand for them) are "bred in" in their native 

 countries by the persons who supply the European dealers. 



The examples of Attacus mylitta, which were sent home by 

 J. Wood-Mason, Esq., and those of Attacus atlas, which were 

 purchased, were all dead in the cocoons with the exception of two 

 specimens of each species. This, I fear, was the result of getting a 

 chill en route, as the insects were perfectly formed. 



Of perfect insects I had generally a good series on exhibition, 

 especially of the beautiful Indian Moon Moth {Actias selene) — the 

 first specimens emerging on the 18th April. 



Attacus roylei was exhibited for the first time, and also specimens 

 of Cricula trifenestrata and Hypochera io. 



Of Butterflies, the following species were exhibited for the first 

 time : — 



Thais polyxena, 

 Parnassius apollo, 

 Vanessa xanthomelas, 

 levana, var. prorsa, 



Argynnis paphia, 

 LyccBna iolas, 

 Thecla betulce, 

 spini, 



and also several species of the Sesiidae or Clearwings (see P. Z. S. 

 1882, p. 548). 



Of Moths, Sphinx pinastri, Beilephila vespertilio, and the 

 beautiful North-American Ceratocampa imperialis were the most 

 noticeable species exhibited for the first time. 



