5824 Insects. 



Larva of Colias Hyale. — A female of this species deposited some eggs on my 

 setting-board, although I had poisoned her with oxalic acid ; they duly hatched in 

 five days, and have since fed on Medicago sativa, Trifolium repens and T. subterra- 

 neum ; they are now feeding on the last-named plant. They are of a yellowish green 

 colour ; head small in proportion to the body. When in a state of repose they lie 

 along the middle of the leaf's superior surface, so that at night, when the leaf closes 

 (as most, if not all, the Trifolia do), they are quite inclosed by its segments, showing 

 the all-wise provision of our Creator, in guiding the delicate larva to seek such a 

 beautiful and effectual domicile, from the cold, cutting winds it would otherwise be 

 exposed to : the edges of the leaves meeting quite close together, they appear almost 

 hermetically sealed in. They appear to have the power of ejecting their excrement 

 with some degree of force, for although they never leave the food-plant, being very 

 sluggish in their habits, I find it nearly an inch above them, adhering to the glass 

 lid of the breeding-cage, which by chance had a little spun silk on it. — William 

 Henry Tugwell; L12, Cheapside, London, September 8. — From the ' Intelligencer.' 



Lyccena Hippothoe in Scotland. — Whilst botanizing over a marshy piece of ground 

 in this neighbourhood, I was surprised to see a male specimen of this beautiful but- 

 terfly flit past me while I was arranging some plants I had just gathered. Being 

 aware of its rarity, I was soon up and in pursuit; but, from my great weakness and 

 the treacherous character of the ground, I was unable to capture it, although it settled 

 several times in full view. I repeatedly fell in stagnant pools concealed by the tall 

 reeds and grasses, and at last was so completely tired that I gave up the chase, hoping 

 the insect would return another day, but that day has never arrived. — Thomas Ed- 

 ward ; Banff, August, 1857. [It seems to me that Mr. Edward can hardly be mis- 

 taken as to the species. The most likely way to procure it would be to search the 

 leaves of the water-dock for the larva wherever that species occurs in the fen district 

 in his neighbourhood. — E. N.~] 



Sphinx Convolvuli at Stoke Newington. — I have just received a beautiful male of 

 Sphinx Convolvuli taken hovering over flowers at Stoke Newington. Callers here 

 speak of numerous similar captures. Can no one find the larva of this beautiful 

 Sphinx? It would be a very conspicuous object ; and if its occurrence bear a propor- 

 tion to the imago similar to that in Sphinx Ligustri, it must also be profusely abun- 

 dant. The captures of the larvae of Ligustri, compared with these of the imago, are 

 as 100 to 1. What a host of Convolvuli larvae would this give ! — Edward Neivman. 



Sphinx Convolvuli at Kingston. — A very fine female of this species was brought to 

 me on Monday last, taken that day on Surbiton Hill, near this town. A little ben- 

 zine colias soon put an end to its existence. — A. F. Sheppard ; Rutland House, 

 Kingston-on-Thames, October 9, 1857. 



Note on Anthrocera Trifolii and A. Filipendulce. — In a field at Keymer, near 

 Hurstpierpoint, I observed these two species flying together, the former rather worn, 

 and the latter just emerged from the pupa. Upon examining more closely I dis- 

 covered several males of Trifolii in copula with females of Filipendulae. It occurred 

 to me that probably this irregularity had not then taken place for the first time, and I 

 therefore searched the spot very carefully for hybrids, of which I soon took several, 

 though not in good condition, as most of the specimens were more nearly allied 

 to Trifolii than to Filipendula?, and had therefore, as it was then late in June, been 

 some time on the wing. In some cases the specimeus showed the narrow border of 

 the under wings of Filipendulae, but with only five spots ; others strongly resembled 



