6356 



Northern Entomological Society. 



the first segment; a bilobed patch of the same colour, darkest externally, and shaded 

 lighter to the middle ; the rest of the body pale bluish green, of a semilransparent 

 appearance, flattened ; skin rather loose, with a few pale hairs ; the green becomes 

 more glossy as it approaches the pupa state; the young larva is pale reddish green ; 

 legs shining black.'' I think we may leave the name of these insects an open 

 question ; it is probable it will revert to Fabricius's name scabrana. 



After the discussion (all being agreed that the specimen constituted one variable 

 species), the Secretary exhibited a long series of Peronea potentillana, Cooke, a 

 long series of Peronea Schalleriana, //. D. Cat., and some Peronea comparana, 

 H. D. Cat., and read a paper " On Peronea potentillana, Cookef by C. S. Greg- 

 son. The Meeting decided the species a good one. 



The President then read the following paper from Edwin Brown, Esq. : — 

 On Breeding Acherontia Atropos. 



u As I esteem it the duty of any one who discovers a new and successful method 

 of arriving at a scientific object to impart that discovery, however little it may add to 

 the general stock of knowledge, I beg to occupy your attention for a few minutes, 

 whilst I mention a plan of developing Acherontia Atropos, which I fouud to answer 

 exceedingly well during the past autumn. 



" At short intervals five caterpillars of this species were brought to me, some found 

 on the potato, the others on Lycium barbarum. One or more of these larva? had 

 been sorely pinched by the rustics, who held them in great dread, and indeed talked 

 of cutting down " the tree that had bred such venomous animals ; the consequence 

 was one of them soon cast off the larva-skin, and in a short time died. The four 

 pupa? I placed in a flower-pot, well shaded and partly filled with light soil, upon 

 which half an inch of powdered peat was spread. The pupa; were placed upon 

 the peat and covered with a thickish layer of moistened moss (Hypnurn squarrosum), a 

 short and thick stick being planted in the midst. The pot was then sunk in a hot-bed 

 frame, underneath a wall facing the south, and a hand-glass, perforated at the top, 

 placed over the pot. Here, I argued, I possessed all the elements necessary for suc- 

 cess. My friends, however, shook their heads and looked incredulous, whilst 

 I expatiated upon the pupa? being thus moist, without risk of injury from tearing, 

 or the growth of fungus matter — upon the exclusion of all excess of light, their 

 enjoyment of a regular temperature — on the absence of all external pressure, and on 

 the convenience furnished for ' stretching.' It was of no avail, my friends said the 

 plan was 'against nature, and not likely to succeed.' To this I replied, ' It was 

 owing to an imperfection in nature that so few moths exist, as compared with 

 the number of caterpillars, and my plan was offered by way of an improvement on 

 nature.' The result justified my calculations. I obtained a moth from each pupa, 

 and all in fine condition, excepting one, which was somewhat crippled, owing, as I 

 imagine, to a hurt it had received in the larva state.'' 



After a vote of thanks to various contributors the Meeting broke up. — C. S. G. 



