Curtis' s Botanical Magazine. 1919 



perly after them, however, have time enough to prevent it, 

 by destroying them while young. When just emerging from 

 the ova, they are extremely helpless, and easily destroyed. 

 A heavy shower, or blast of wind, will then throw them to 

 the ground, where they perish. This is the weak period in 

 their existence, and probably at this stage nine tenths of the 

 whole perish upon the average of years ; and hence it is only 

 in particular seasons that we hear much of them. Calm, 

 mild, but rather moist and cloudy, weather is most favourable 

 for them at this stage ; but after they are a few days old, no 

 weather will kill them, although favourable weather brings 

 them sooner to maturity. 



" The insect is male and female, but the ova of the female 

 produce caterpillars, even when the male and female flies are 

 kept separate. How long this offspring would continue to 

 breed has not been ascertained ; but by following up the 

 experiments it might be very easily done. There is some 

 reason to suspect that there is a connection between the male 

 and female caterpillars ; for I have frequently observed them 

 twisted together for some time after they had ceased eating, 

 and a little before they cast their skins to go into the pupa 

 state. By a little more attention this may be fully ascer- 

 tained." 



(To be continued.^ 



Art. III. Catalogue of Works on Gardening, Agriculture, Botany, 

 Rural Architecture, S^c, published since Januar?/, 1831, with some 

 Account of those considered the most interesting. 



In enumerating the contents of the Botanical Periodicals, those genera or species marked by n 

 star (*) are not included in the first edition of the HOrtus Britunrticus. 



Britaiist. 



Curtis's Botanical Magazine, or Floiver-Garden displayed. New Series. 

 Edited by Dr. Hooker. In 8vo Numbers, monthly. 3*. Qd. Coloured; 

 3s, plain. 



No. XLIXifor January, contains 

 3039 to 3045. — Hedychium flavum Roxl). ; which differs from H. 

 flavum of Sims in Bot. Mag., t, 2378., this latter being identical with H. 

 flavescens of Wallich. " The present subject is a splendid species, with 

 numerous very large, orange-coloured, highly fragrant blossoms; Flowers 

 . in the stove in August." — Alstroemeria pallida. A species first authen- 

 ticated by Dr. Graham in Edin. Phil. Journ^, vol. xiv. p. 435. ; it is very 

 beautiful, and approximates to A. Pelegrina, consequently will thrive at the 

 base of a warm wall in the open air. Flowers in July. — Gesnen'a bulbosa. 

 A plant not rare at the present day, but still not so common in collections 

 as its large, showy, scarlet flowers entitle it to be. Blooms in spring, 

 inhabits the stove, and is a native of Brazil. — Sphenogyne crithmifolia 



o 4 



