BRITISH LEPIDOPTEEA. 231 



aud interesting cases of sagacity, in fact we might almost say their 

 name is legion, but the folloAving experience may be somewhat 

 unusual considering the subject under consideration, and in any case 

 will be another contribution to the biology of the Wax moth. 



Some time ago I had collected three larvaB of the above species 

 from my experimental apiary for microscopical examination, and 

 had put them into a cardboard box in order to rear pupte, I also gave 

 them a small piece of artificial comb to feed on. However, two of 

 them spun their threads directly underneath the comb, Avhilst the 

 third was thereby entirely shut off from the store of food, and directly 

 the larva approached the other two she w^as instantly driven away. 

 This continued until the first two sallied forth to pupate elseAvhere. 



It may be a subject worthy of note to record that I did all I could 

 to coax this unbefriended grub to throw in her lot with the others, but 

 everything was of no avail, until ultimately she took possession of the 

 empty passages and devoured the remaining portion of food, by which 

 time one of the others had actually pupated. What was my surprise on 

 examining the box a day or two after to find that the larva had torn 

 open the puparium, and turned the chrysalis out of its resting-place — 

 thus making room and opportunity for herself to undergo that same 

 period of rest. 



The conclusion I have come to as an explanation of this proceed- 

 ing — the whole of Avhich lasted no more than a week — is that the 

 larva, through some means or other, was prevented from spinning 

 quantities of threads, and that she had therefore learnt by natural 

 instinct how to overcome that difficulty ; or could it be — that a spirit 

 of revenge had seized hold of her — revenge at being excluded from the 

 liberal board ? How was it she knew her strength and ability directly 

 her foe lay helpless, having undergone that process for which end she 

 herself was straining every nerve to bring about that like change ? 

 and did she not know that she would thus be secure and unmolested 

 until the time should come for her to enter into that much longed for 

 bliss of the imago state ? 



Naturally all my sympathies are with the first view being the 

 most likely, the more so as we know cases — such for instance as 

 recorded by the then Sir John Lubbock — of spiders unable to spin 

 more than a certain number of Avebs, and even if the glands and the 

 organs directly in relationship thereto, were in no way injured — is 

 not this possible, especially as throughout the whole proceedings this 

 larva showed herself incapable of spinning '? I think, also, that we may 

 read in this interesting case, the way adopted by nature, through natural 

 instinct, teaching the feeble to help themselves, suggesting to the 

 helpless a Avay of self-preservation for the perpetuation of its species. 



British Lepidoptera. ' 



By WILLIAM BATESON, M.A., F.K.S., F.E.S., &c. 

 It is pleasant to write a few words in appreciation of the second 

 volume of Mr. J. W. Tutt's Brituh Lepidoptera. Of the great utility 

 of this work there can be no doubt whatever, and the punctual appear- 



* A Natural history of the British Lepidoptera. By J. W. Tutt, F.E.S. Vol II., 

 pp. 581 + viii. Published by Swan Sounenschein & Co., Paternoster Square. 

 Price 20s. net. 



