Reptiles — Insects. 



8861 



Frogs Climbing Trees. — I have several times endeavoured to draw the attention of 

 naturalists to the climbing powers of the British Batrachians, thinking the subject to 

 have been overlooked in the discussion of the question, " How are we to account for 

 the discovery of frogs and toads in quarries and other elevated situations." Three 

 several instances, proving that they can and do climb, have fallen under my own 

 notice. These are already recorded in print. A fourth came under my notice on the 

 27th of October last. I was digging for pupa? at the base of a large willow tree in 

 the valley of the Itchen, near Winchester, with some young friends, when one of the 

 party exclaimed, " Look at this frog climbing up the tree ! " I quickly ran round to 

 the other side of the tree, and saw not one only, but five or six young frogs, from one 

 to two feet from the ground, climb ng up the rugged bark, and using their front and 

 hind feet just as a sailor employs his hands and feet when ascending the rigging of a 

 ship. One, which I did not myself see, was discovered at a height of five feet from the 

 ground, in the act of descending. It had been alarmed probably at our intrusion, and 

 had fallen to the ground before I reached the spot ; but I had no reason to doubt the 

 accuracy of the statement, for two or three members of my party pointed to the exact 

 spot from which is had fallen; and if a frog can climb two feet there is no reason why 

 it should not climb twenty or more. Have any others among your readers observed 

 similar instances ?— C. A. Johns ; Winton House., Winchester. 



Larva of Acherontia Atropos feeding on Privet. — A fine variety of this insect was 

 lately forwarded to me by Mr. William Marshall, of Enfield, to preserve. It was 

 found feeding on privet. The ground colour, in place of yellow, is of light brown, 

 with minute chocolate spots down the back. I have never heard of them feeding 

 on privet before, though Mr. F. Bond informs me he has heard of a similar variety, 

 which was taken from the ash. — John Baker ; Cambridge. 



Valvular Apparatus on the Backs of the Larva of Liparida?.— Wheu I read your 

 remarks in the ' Zoologist ' about the button-like projections on the backs of the 

 larvae of certain Liparidae, I recollected seeing them referred to in Rosel's work. He 

 mentions them in Liparis chrysorrhcea, L. auriflua and L. Dispar. Of L. fascelina 

 he says, after the last hair tuft follow two segments, on each of which stands an orange 

 elevation, which the caterpillar is accustomed alternately to contract and expand. Of 

 Orgyia antiqua Kleemann says in a note, on the ninth and tenth segments stand deep 

 red fleshy bladder-like buttons, which the caterpillar can draw in and again expand. 

 I used to think that I had satisfied myself that they contained no aperture at the 

 summit, though you seem to infer that such exist. I searched for it since your paper, 

 but could not find it in L. pudibunda. There is in most of them a cup-like hollow at 

 the top, containing a little fluid, but no communication with the animal's interior ; 

 there is certainly no communication with the respiratory tubes. Did you ever notice 

 in these tufted larvae that the hairs in the centres of the tufts are always moist, and 

 that they cover a similar glandular apparatus, which is not raised into a button-like 

 form like those you describe? — T. Algernon Chapman; Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, 

 November 2, 1863. 



A new Locality for Nonagria (P) Bondii. — Between the 18th and 25th of July I 

 captured six specimens of Nonagria (?) Bondii on the coast at Lyme Regis. It was 

 not at all common there, as 1 did not see more than two in an evening, and sometimes 



