264 



daily (10th). They are at present thriving on the shrub, Coriaria 

 nipalensis, growing in the open air ; but whether they will be able 

 to spin up again before the frosts set in remains yet to be seen. 

 These caterpillars feed naturally on Coriaria nipalensis, Andromeda 

 ovalifolia, the walnut, and I think also upon Carpinus bimana. The 

 first-named shrub would probably grow well and rapidly in some 

 parts of Europe, and so furnish nourishment both for the larvae of 

 Act. selene, if found worth introducing, and also of S. cynthia, which 

 seems to be acclimated in Italy. 



"This species, I believe, is confined to the hills from 5000 feet 

 upwards to 7000 feet, and perhaps higher ; it occurs also in Silhet, 

 as Major Jenkins kindly sent me a drawing of what I take to be this 

 species." 



The transformations of Act. selene were also observed by Lady 

 Isabella Rose Gilbert, and are figured among her Ladyship's original 

 drawings, from which those given in the Catal. Lep. Mus. India 

 House (vol. ii. pi. 19.) were copied. 



2. Actias m^nas, Doubleday. 



Actias mcenas, Doubleday, Ann. Nat. Hist. 1847, p. 95 ; West- 

 wood, Cabinet Orient. Ent. p. 45. pi. 22. 



Tropcea meenas, Walker, List Lep. Het. Brit. Mus. pt. 6. p. 1263. 



Hab. Silhet. In British Museum Collection. 



This species differs from A. selene in the following characters: — 

 " The wings are yellow ; the thorax is wholly purplish in front ; the 

 wings are red along the exterior margin, and have no exterior band ; 

 the fore-wings have a band between the base and the ocellus, the 

 ocellus being large and sickle-shaped, and very different from that of 

 A. selene ; and the hind- wings have longer tails." 



3. Actias sinensis, Walker. 



Tropcea sinensis, Walker, List Lep. Het. Brit. Mus. pt. 6. p. 1264 

 (1855). 



Hab. North China. In British Museum Collection. 



" Male. — Yellow. Wings with a slender, deeply undulating, tawny 

 middle band ; ocellus rose-coloured in the centre, luteous in front, 

 with a brown border, which is much darker and broader in front 

 than elsewhere. Fore -wings rose-coloured along the costa. Hind- 

 wings ferruginous along the exterior border and across the tails, 

 which are much shorter than the breadth of the wings. Thorax 

 rose-colour in front. Expanse about 4 inches." 



Genus Saturnia, Schrank. 



Saturnia, Schrank, Faun. Boica, ii. pt. 11. f. 149 (1802). 

 Pavonia, Hiibner, Verz. bek. Schmett. p. 157(1816). 

 Phalcena-attacus, pt., Linnaeus. 



Types Saturnia pyri, S. spini, and S. carpini of Europe. 



