Insects, 6823 



singular to relate, reintroduced by Mr. Stainton. Whence can arise 

 this perversity ? P. Daplidice, V. Antiopa and A. Lathouia, species 

 repeatedly captured, and very recently, he designates " foreigners ;" 

 whilst P. illustria, a doubtful species, not taken for years, he restores 

 to the British list. Old authors give as a locality for this insect 

 Salisbury Plain. Does any one search for it ? I presume not ; and 

 it may occur there now for what we know to the contrary. 



I shall say a few words, more immediately on the "blown-over" 

 theory. The diurnal Lepidoptera, the Sphinges, the Borabycidae and 

 Noctuidae are the only families we need take into consideration ; the 

 slightness of their structure and weakness of their flight being, to ray 

 idea, quite sufficient argument against any other species of the 

 remaining families finding their way across the Channel. 



The Sphingidae and Bombycidse, for the most part, are very strong 

 of flight ; and examples of the former family have been taken far out 

 at sea, I believe hundreds of miles from land. This may be urged in 

 favour of the foreign origin of those species occasionally taken here ; 

 but then it is very singular that only certain species should have such 

 an erratic tendency. The Continent of Europe possessing many more 

 species of the above families than are found here, it is also remark- 

 able that we are not occasionally visited by other species than those 

 which are the subject of doubt. If only from these ideas, I should 

 feel much inclined to give all "doubtfuls" a place, until we are so 

 well acquainted with their habits as to satisfy ourselves that they do 

 not breed here. 



There is only one other point npon which I shall touch ; it is that 

 of insects surreptitiously introduced into this country, which had 

 their birth, lived their htlle day, and died under the pin of a foreign 

 hand, in a foreign country. There can only be one expression suit- 

 able for a line of conduct descending to such trickery ; it is fraudu- 

 lent ; yet I firmly believe it is practised by some of our more unscru- 

 pulous dealers. The insects we have at present in our lists are 

 scarcely open to this objection, being species for the most part taken 

 long before Entomology was made a regular trade as well as a 

 science ; and all impositions might be effectually guarded against, if 

 the peregrinations of the insect were traced to their original source, 

 the captor. 



Charles Miller. 



