52 MR. A. Thomson's report on the insect-house. [Feb. 1, 



Deilephila eiiphorbice. Saturnia pi/ri. 



Chcerocampa porcellus. carpini. 



elpenoi'. *Eurymene dolohraria, 



nerii. Try phcena fimbria. 



Hemaris 7narginalis, Catocala fraxini 



Macroylossa fuciformis. nupta. 



Gallimorpha dondnula. 



Of the Silk-producing jMotlis and their allies, Dirphia tarquinla 

 from South America, &\\(\Actias mimosce. Anther cea menippe, Saturnia 

 terpsichore, and Attacus mijthimna from South Africa, were all 

 exhibited for the first time. Three specimens of D. tarquinia, so 

 remarkable for the difference in the size and colour of the sexes, 

 emerged in December last ; and I have the honour to exhibit a pair 

 this evening. 



The two cocoons of Actias mimoscB, with one cocoon of Attacus 

 mythimna, and one pupa each of A. menippe and S. terpsichore were 

 brought to England by Mrs. Monteiro from South Africa, where she 

 had been collecting insects. The two Actias mimosce emerged in due 

 course, but I am sorry to say were cripples. I managed, however, 

 in the setting, to get them a little into shape. From the cocoon of 

 Attacus mythimna and other two pupa;, fine specimens were obtained. 



During the past season I succeeded for the first time in rearing 

 one specimen of the Great Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas) in the Insect- 

 house upon ivy. It was quite by accident that I discovered that the 

 larvae would eat ivy ; and I was much surprised, in looking over the 

 case in which the Atlas INIoths were kept, to find 07ie larva feeding 

 upon the leaves of the ivy-plant that was growing at the bottom. I 

 then tried the other larvae, which I had feeding upon Berberis 

 vulgaris, with ivy-leaves, and found that they ate them freely, and 

 seemed to prefer them to the barberry ; but I regret to say that the 

 whole of the larvae died in the last stage, although they grew to be 

 as large as the one reared. 



The Moth that was reared emerged on the l/th October, 18S6, 

 after being in the cocoon about six weeks, and although perfect in 

 colour, is one third less in size than those obtained from the 

 imported cocoons. 



Attacus pernyi, A. cynthia, and Samia cecropia pair readily in 

 confinement; aho Sphinx ligiistri, S. pinastri, Deilephila euphorbice, 

 and Chcerocampa elpenor ; and I have reared all from the ova except 

 D. euphorbice. 



Of European Diurnal Lepidoptcra, Melitcpa maturna and Ckaraxes 

 jasius were exhibited for the first time. The larvae (14) of C. jasius 

 were deposited in the Insect-house by Mr. J. H. Leech, F.Z.S., 

 previous to his departure for Japan. These larvae were then feeding 

 upon Arbutus unedo ; but as the supply of that food failed, 1 tried 

 them with Euonymus japonicus, and succeeded in rearing 10 insects 

 from the 14 larvae upon it. 



Of African Diurnal Lepidoptera, all the species named were ex- 



* Exhibited for the first time. 



