On the Moth of the Esere. 



359 



As there could be no doubt of the insect described by Dr 

 Fraser being the Deiopeia pulchella, and being also given 

 by Mr Eobb to Mr Baillie apparently as a feeder on the 

 Calabar bean, it appeared probable, from the character of 

 its larva, that this widely spread insect might feed merely 

 on the foliage of the plant; while the naked larvae and the 

 moths now exhibited, still undetermined, were probably 

 those which cut the tunnels and fed on the interior of the 

 poison-bean itself. 



At this rather unexpected result of the examination, Dr 

 Smith had written to the Kev. Alexander Eobb of Old 

 Calabar, asking him,, if possible, to rear again the insects 

 that feed on the Esere, and keep the different caterpillars, 

 their pupae, and perfect insects or moths, isolated and dis- 

 tinct from one another, so that entomologists might know 

 the series of each, and send them to this country for the 

 determination of their species, — as there appeared to be 

 little doubt that the insects feeding on the Calabar bean 

 still required to be discriminated and described. 



Being but little of an entomologist, Dr Smith asked our 

 member and well-known entomologist, Mr R. F. Logan, to 

 examine the species of insects in Dr Hewan's phial, and 

 he had received from him the following reply : — " I have 

 carefully examined your insects from the ordeal-bean, and 

 find that there are at least three different species mixed up 

 in the various states of larva, pupa, and perfect insect ; and 

 it would be hard to say, in their present condition, which 

 belongs to which. There are two very distinct pup 33, one 

 of which probably belongs to the Geometrina. The other, 

 of which there are several specimens, from some of which 

 the moths have escaped, appears to belong to the Torticina 

 or Pyralidina, and may be that of the larger caterpillar. 

 The very small larva seems distinct, and is probably a Tor- 

 trixov Tinea; and there seems to be more than one species 

 among the moths ; but, drowned in spirits, and with all their 

 scales off, it is impossible to say much about them. One 

 thing only is pretty evident — they are not Deiopeia pulchella " 



We must therefore wait until additional and more perfect 

 specimens of these insects are sent from Old Calabar before 



