ing to bring it up By what he states, I imagine 

 it to be two years old ; and really the chances 

 are fifty to one against his bringing it up. If he 

 had a hundred of them, and two or three old wil- 

 low trees in his garden, then it would be a differ- 

 ent matter. It would be worth the trial. But 

 even then they are always most troublesome and 

 disappointing. They are most assuredly to be 

 reared if attended to when quite young. I have 

 taken the trouble to do this ; but I must say they 

 are exceedingly difficult and provoking ; and con- 

 sidering the result ( save as a matter of curiosity 

 and satisfaction),most disheartening. If " Cerura" 

 be really anxious to go through this three years' 

 nursing, I could put him in the way to succeed, 

 but this had better be a private communication 

 through the medium of our Editor. It would occu- 

 py far too much space in our Journal. The 

 caterpillar lives three years. I shall be most 

 happy to receive any eggs of the sphynx in ques- 

 tion, and will endeavor to rear them joyfully and 

 jovially The last point upon which " Cerura" 

 requires information from me, is one of such a 

 general character that I confess it is quite beyond 

 the limits of an ordinary volume to contain. Now 

 that May has arrived, the young foliage will be 

 pretty generally advancing. Should the month be 

 fine, " Cerura" must not let anything escape him 

 in the shape of an insect. The gardens, the forests, 

 the fields, the hedges, the highways, and by-ways 

 — all must be observed. The leaves, the bark, the 

 trunk, the pith, the roots of the trees, — all must 

 undergo the strictest scrutiny. The food you 

 sometimes enjoy nicely grilled for your breakfast ; 

 nay, stare not, " Cerura !" — the luscious fruit you 

 offer to your ladye-fair ; aye, the very dress she 

 wears, — may all contain a caterpillar ! Positive 

 hunting, positive practical, persevering hunting, by 

 night, by day, and at early morn, — is requisite to 

 become a thorough entomologist. New wonders, 

 fresh delights, will very often reward your perse- 

 verance and your exertions. Never fear the silly 

 twaddle of " John Gray, Esq., of Glasgow," but 

 become a truly practical " dabbler" in nature's 

 inexhaustible beauties. These, thank God, are 

 open to all of us ; and we need ask no person's 

 " permission" to " stroll" out and enjoy them. If 

 I can at all aid the youthful inquirer, how happy 

 shall I be to do so ! — Bombyx Atlas, Tottenham. 



Insects, Potatoria, &c. — In answer to the 

 inquiry of Bombyx Atlas, as to my mode of 

 feeding Potatoria, I may state that every morn- 

 ing and evening I give each caterpillar a few 

 drops of water, which they drink freely. Of 

 course it is understood that they are to have 

 their usual food as well. I imagine that in a 

 state of liberty they drink the dew ; and as they 

 abound in the lanes round Leytonstone, I shall 

 endeavor during the present month to ascertain 

 whether it is so. The caterpillars of this species 

 survive the winter, and may be found, in the 

 present month, on warm sunny mornings, 

 stretched at full length on the stems of the couch 

 grass, on the twigs of bushes, &c. I have now a 

 goat moth in chrysalis, which I have reared 

 entirely on cork. This caterpillar is of a carni- 

 vorous disposition. It devours larvce of its own 

 and other species that may be placed with it. 

 Although I have had the caterpillar chrysalis, 



and moth of this species, I never discovered the 

 smell it is said to possess. — C. Miller, Hackney. 



The Emperor Moth; Singular Fact. — Your 

 very delightful correspondent, Bombyx Atlas, is 

 entitled to my best thanks for so kindly answer- 

 ing my inquiry about the Ravages of Insects in 

 Sutton Park. He, too noble-minded to feel a 

 contempt for " dabblers," invites rather than 

 repulses inquiry. To his better judgment I leave 

 it, to decide whether the following circumstance 

 is as singular as many entomologists have assured 

 me it is. At one time, my interest^ and that 

 of one or two more, was much engaged in the 

 insect world ; and their wonderful transformation 

 particularly claimed attention. Boxes were con- 

 trived for feeding the larvae; and as might 

 naturally be expected, caterpillars were " pro- 

 miscuously picked up." Amongst the rest, was 

 a remarkably fine one of the Emperor moth. 

 Somehow, this one caterpillar contrived to be 

 treated with distinction, for he had a house and 

 garden to himself (though small enough to be sure). 

 A strong net was securely tied over the top at 

 once, precluding the possibility of his going 

 beyond the prescribed limits ; and as effectually 

 preventing any of his relations, or friends, calling 

 upon him. Not that I ever observed any such 

 little attentions on their part. In a few days, 

 Grandpapa (as he was called) began to spin a 

 web ; a process we watched most narrowly, till 

 he was so far encased as to be invisible. We 

 then waited patiently till near the time when we 

 expected to see the fly. And now a very sharp 

 look-out was kept up. On removing the net one 

 morning, twin moths had just emerged from the 

 chrysalis. Their wings were not grown, and they 

 were carefully placed to perfect their growth. 

 Both were about the usual size of the Emperor 

 moth when full grown, and both were perfect 

 then. On examining the cocoon, the chrysalis 

 only was there, and those entomologists who saw 

 the fly and cocoons, say they never met with 

 a similar circumstance. — Puss. 



Canaries in the Open Air. — Knowing how 

 very much interested you and your readers are in 

 the domestication of canaries in the open air, I 

 send you particulars up to this date (April 5). 

 You will no doubt feel surprised to learn that, 

 notwithstanding the cold weather we had about 

 ten days since (when the thermometer at my 

 south window was at 17, and, nearer the earth, 

 as low as 15.), I have a brood of four young 

 canaries hatched in a Cypress tree. I discovered 

 another on Sunday last. Watching the hen off, 

 (when she went to feed), I peeped into her nest. 

 There, sure enough, were four more young ones ! 

 I have three other nests in the open grounds ; in 

 one of them I have ascertained that eggs have 

 been already laid. I had fully expected the first 

 brood would have proved a failure ; but am de- 

 lighted to find it otherwise. I send this at once, 

 not waiting for any further additions. — H. S. H. 

 Wollaston, Welling, Kent. 



[This is proof positive of the justice of our for- 

 mer remarks (see our First and Second Vo- 

 lumes). Mr. Wollaston is fast developing what 

 can be done (for it is done), in the way of breed- 

 ing canaries, as regularly .as any other of our 



