REARING EXOTIC INSECTS. 275 



I was present at a little entomological dinner 

 some few years ago, to witness the expansion of 

 some two or three dozen chrysalides of the handsome 

 continental Butterfly, Papilio Podalirius, from 

 which the perfect insects were thought to he just 

 upon the point of emerging. They had been brought 

 from the Rhine country, where they are very plen- 

 tiful, by our host, who was an enthusiastic collector. 

 During the dessert, the progress of the chrysalides 

 became very rapid, necessarily attracting all atten- 

 tion from the biscuits and decanters. AVe were in 

 fact just in time to witness the escape of several of 

 them from their pupa-cases. After trying their 

 limp wings for a time, as if for the very purpose of 

 exhibiting to us their lovely primrose colour varie- 

 gated with black zebra-like stripes, they took 

 flight through the open window, and we watched 

 them out of sight, flitting over the flowers of the 

 neighbouring gardens. 



Nevertheless, no specimen of Papilio Poclali- 

 rius, popularly known as the Scarce Swallow-tail, 

 have ever since been found in that neighbourhood. 

 These examples appear, at a glance, to show the 

 hopelessness of any attempt to introduce foreign 

 Lepicloptera ; but I am still convinced — at all events 

 in the case of P. Poclalirius and many species 



