THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



247 



been found underground, a very unusual position for a butterfly pupa, is 

 more frequently attached to a twig or stalk, and the perfect insect emerges 

 in about a fortnight or three weeks. It was further mentioned that when 

 freshly emerged this species had a very beautiful appearance, in fact it was 

 almost like a small Purple Emperor. It was of very sportive habits, and very 

 gregarious, large numbers being frequently observed sporting round some 

 particular tree, mostly an oak, but sometimes an ash or birch, and it was 

 thought very probable that it was owing to one of the older entomologists 

 observing such an assemblage round a sallow, that led to that food plant 

 being quoted. The flight was mostly high, and one means of attracting the 

 insects lower, was by throwing small stones among them, for so pugnacious 

 are they, that they will frequently follow the stones down to within striking 

 distance of the entomologist. Any other species of butterfly approaching 

 their head-quarters is invariably attacked and driven away, even the lordly 

 Iris itself being compelled to withdraw before the attacks of its nimble little 

 antagonists. 



On November 11th, Mr. Clark exhibited two beautiful forms of Pachnobia 

 hyberborea, the one being very much streaked with black, and the other 

 being a very light specimen. 



The following Thursday was the occasion of the annual Pocket- box Ex- 

 hibition, which was very well attended by members, and the visitors also 

 mustered in good force. The exhibits, which were ranged on a long table 

 down the centre of the room, afforded much interest ; and the friendly meet- 

 ing of brother entomologists from all parts of London, some of whom had 

 not met since the previous exhibition, altogether tended to render the even- 

 ing a very cheerful and successful one. Each year, however, the absence of 

 one or two well-known faces is marked at these gatherings, and on this 

 occasion the presence of the late Assistant Secretary (Mr. E. Cooper) was 

 greatly missed by his old comrades. 



The two orders Coleoptera and Lepidoptera were the only ones represented, 

 and nothing very new was shown of either. The presence of Geometra 

 smaragdaria and A . alni in some numbers, has of late been of frequent oc- 

 curence, and therefore excited little comment, but the magnificient lot of 

 Plusia orichalcea and the bred Nascia cilialis, exhibited by Mr. T. Cooke, 

 were certainly something rather out of the way; and a very perfect specimen 

 of the rare Deiopeia pulchella captured at rest, on a piece of seaweed, at St. 

 Margaret's Bay, by Mr. Hanson of Plumstead, gave rise to much admiration. 



Among the exhibits by members, may be mentioned some very fine large 

 specimens of C. caja, bred from ova laid by a very dark melanic variety, the 

 specimens however, only had the normal markings with very little variations. 



