Entomological Society. 



8795 



in Essex by Cryptorhynchus Lapathi. There was an interesting paper on the subject 

 published in the Liunean 'Transactions' during the last century, by W. Curtis, since 

 which time he was not aware that any further record of the destructive habits of the 

 species had been made. The larva burrowed in the willows, and had attacked the 

 rarer cultivated species in Essex to such an extent that the growers were in fear of 

 entirely losing their crops. 



Mr. Timins exhibited bred specimens of Papilio Machaon, Thais Cassandra, Poly- 

 ommatus Iolas and Clostera anachoreta, their appearance having been hastened by 

 keeping the pupa? in confinement at a temperature of about 60° Fahr. He also read 

 the following notes : — 



On Rearing Lepidoptera in Winter, and on the possibility of Naturalizing 

 Exotic Lepidoptera. 



" The statement of some old authors ' that Lepidopterous insects, when forced by 

 the application of heat to emerge from the pupae before their usual time of appearance, 

 are never properly developed,' having been quoted and repeated in various more 

 modern works, may mislead the tyro in Entomology ; and as I have established the 

 contrary fact by experience, I have thought it advisable to make these few notes on the 

 subject, with the view of drawing the attention of collectors to the possibility of rearing 

 Lepidoptera in the winter, and of rearing, and perhaps naturalizing, exotic species of 

 Lepidoptera. 



"The advantages of causing Lepidoptera to emerge from the pupa during the 

 winter appear to be that the collector has more time to devote to their setting, and 

 more space upon his setting-boards than during the summer; and that very often the 

 collector may travel during the summer, in which case his pupa? cannot easily be 

 attended to. 



" I have reared the following species during the winter (placing the pupa? in a warm 

 room for the purpose): — Papilio Machaon, Thais Hypsipyle, Polyommatus Iolas, 

 Smerinthus Populi, Phaeosia Dictoea, P. Dictasoides, Saturnia Spini, S. Pavonia- 

 Major, Phalera bucephala, Clostera curtula, Plusia Moneta. 



" Specimeus of each of these species (and of many others) emerged from the pupa? 

 during the months of January and February at Boulogne-sur-Mer ; and at Oxford, 

 during the month of April, I reared Thais Hypsipyle and Polyommatus Iolas (in 1860). 

 In no case was there any variation from the usual type of the species, except in the 

 case of Smerinthus Populi, and this was due to the various kinds of food with which I 

 supplied the larva? of that species, and which produced some singular varieties. I have 

 also reared various species of Exotic Lepidoptera from imported pupae ; e.g., at Bou- 

 logne I reared Vanessa (Araschnia) Prorsa, Polyommatus Iolas, Saturnia Pavonia- 

 Major, Thais Medesicaste, T. Cassandra, and T. Hypsipyle, from pupa? sent from the 

 South of France ; and also Catocala Fraxini from German pupae: and at Oxford I 

 reared Thais Medesicaste, T. Hypsipyle and T. Cassandra; also P. Iolas, Heliothis 

 dipsacea and Ophiusa Geometra from French pupa?. I also reared Plusia Moneta and 

 Deilephila Nica?a from Italian pupae at Boulogne. 



"In the ' Butterfly Vivarium,' published some years since, a suggestion was made 

 of the possibility of naturalizing some of the beautiful species of Exotic Lepidoptera. 

 So far as I can learn, no notice seems to have been, taken of this suggestion, though 

 it cannot be devoid of interest to many of our British collectors, and I have made 



