Periodicity, Sfc. upon the Development of Insects. 



69 



were not at all advanced. Again, winter corn sown in the spring 

 sprang up, but remained during the whole summer and subse- 

 quent winter like grass, and looked during the winter just like 

 that which was sown in the autumn, and did not shoot up to seed 

 any earlier in the following spring than that which was sown in the 

 preceding autumn. M. Vilmorin has concentrated his opinion 

 in these few concluding words, which also exactly express my 

 opinion upon those facts among animals as among plants : — ■ 



" II y a done la en jeu une cause qui, n'etant fonction ni de la 

 temperature, ni du temps (considers comme duree), parait I'etre 

 de la saison de I'annee, et qui, assez efficace pour contre-balancer 

 dans le ble, I'avoine, la betterave, etc., Taction de la chaleur, est 

 au contraire absolument sans action sur d'autres plantes, comme le 

 fraisier, la vigne, le melon, plantes dans lesquelles on pent deplacer 

 pour ainsi dire a volonte I'epoque des principales phases de la 

 vesetation." 



Note. — With reference to Dr. Verloren's observation that ^c/ieroiiiia Alrflpos 

 always emerges from the pupa in the evening, the following table has been sup- 

 plied by W. Groves, Esq. In 1858 Mr. Groves obtained fourteen pupee of A. 

 Atropos, of which thirteen assumed the perfect state; they were kept in a warm 

 place under a bell-glass in wet moss. 



Number. 



Sex. 



Time of Appearance in the Perfect State. 



1 



Male. 



1 Sept., 



1858. Between 10 p. m. and 8 a.m. 



2 



Male. 



16 „ 



,, Between 10 p. m. and 8 a. m. 



3 



Wale. 



16 „ 



,, 11 p.m. 



4 



Male. 



17 » 



,, 9 p.m. 



5 



Female. 



21 „ 



» 0). 



6 



Female. 



23 „ 



„ 11 a.m. 



7 



Female. 



24 „ 



,, Between 6 p. m. and 10 p.m. 



8 



Female. 



24 „ 



,, Between 10 p.m. and 8 a. m. 



9 



Male. 



25 „ 



„ 7 a.m. 



10 



Female. 



2 Oct., 



,, Between 10 p. m. and 8 a.m. 



11 



Male. 



9 „ 



,, Between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. 



12 



Female. 



9 „ 



,, Between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. 



13 



Female. 



10 „ 



,, Between 10 p. m. and 8 a. m. 



Nos. 12 and 13 were imperfect specimens, the wings not being fully de- 

 jloped. 



