96 MR. A. Thomson's report on the insect-house. [Mar. 4, 



changing colour. What I send you have been transferred from the 

 Blue Convolvulus to other flowers, and after a few days take the colour 

 of the flowers to which they have been transferred." I did not myself 

 try any experiments in this direction with them, as they were a pair, 

 and I had some hopes of breeding them. They appeared to agree 

 perfectly, but I am sorry to say that on the 19t;la of August the 

 female attacked and killed the male. During the time they lived to- 

 gether they were never seen to copulate. On the 19th of October 

 the female died. 



These insects during life were very beautiful, especially imme- 

 diately after the change to the perfect state, and I have the pleasure 

 of exhibiting three characteristic coloured sketches, from life, by Mr. 

 H. Goodchild, and also two photographs taken by Mr. D. Turner 

 Belding, which, however, I am sorry to say, have not come out very 

 ■well. 



I have also the honour to exhibit : — 



I. The two " skins " of these insects which were cast on July 27th 

 and August 8th respectively. 



II. The male insect (or rather as much as was left of it after the 

 female had killed it), set with its wings spread out. 



III. The female, set as near as possible in the position assumed 

 during life, to show the mode of catching and holding its prey. I 

 may here mention that these insects while living in the Gardens fed 

 upon flies only. 



IV. The " batch " of ova formed on a twig by the female about 8 

 days before death. The layer of ova nearest the twig was laid Jirst 

 and during one night, and the upper layer was laid and completed 

 during the tJiird niglit after the first layer was laid. 



Early in the spring of last year Mr. J. B. Williams, of Toronto, 

 was good enough to send us a number of ova of a species of Stick- 

 insect {Diapliemora femorata). The first specimen emerged on the 

 11th of June, and others from time to time during the summer. 

 Nearly all the specimens lived and did well, feeding upon hazel- 

 leaves. They changed their " skins " four times before reaching ma- 

 turity. After the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd changes they were of a bright 

 grass-green colour ; but after the 4th and last change the males were 

 of a brownish colour, with the front pair of legs green, the four other 

 legs brown to the second joint, and the rest of the legs green. The 

 females were all green except the abdomen, which was of a greenish- 

 brown colour. 



These insects copulated frequently, and produced a large number 

 of ova, which I hope to be able to hatch during the coming summer. 



I exhibit this evening a male and female of this species. The 

 female is set to show the manner in which these insects, when at rest, 

 employ their front pair of legs to protect their very long and slender 

 antennae. I also exhibit a female set upon a spray of grass, to give 

 some idea of how well these creatures are protected during life by 

 their form and colour. 



