THE YOUNG NATUEALIST. 



69 



covered only with blotting-paper the half of 

 the specimens would have been spoilt by 

 adhering to it. The whole may then be re- 

 placed in the press, and considerably stronger 

 pressure applied to them, and under this 

 they may be allowed to remain for a day and 

 a night. In shifting the second time the 

 muslin coverings may be removed. When 

 permitted to remain till the plants are quite 

 dry there is danger of their leaving chequered 

 impressions on the specimens. They may 

 then be replaced in the press, and very strong 

 pressure applied. They should be shifted 

 once a day for a week, and the paper dried ; 

 but at the end of that time may be deposited 

 in the herbarium, when they will be found 

 adhering so closely to the paper as to have 

 all the appearance of a beautiful painting. 

 When there is not a press the want is easily 

 supplied. All that is necessary is two boards 

 the size of the blotting-paper, and three 

 weights of stone or cast iron, the blotting- 

 paper containing the specimens may be j 

 placed betwi,\t the boards, one weight may 

 be placed above them at first, two at the 

 second shifting, and all three afterwards, and 

 let the last be a very heavy one. When the 

 specimens are taken out of the blotting-paper 

 before they are placed in the herbarium, the 

 scientific name, the locality, and the date, 

 should be neatly written at the bottom. 



BRITISH MOTHS: 



By Joh.n E. Kol^on, 

 (Assisted by Contributors to the Y.N.) 



The second group of Heteroccra is called 

 BOMBYCINA. 



Mr. Doubleday joins this group to the 

 Sphingina and calls the two Nocturni. 

 He calls the butterflies Diurni, which is an 

 appropriate name enough, from their Di- 

 urnal habits; but Nocturni does not seem 

 so appropriate for these two groups, as many 

 of them are not Nocturnal at all, but as 

 truly Diurnal as the butterflies. The Bur- 



nets and Foresters, for instance, in the last 

 group, and several species in this group, 

 only fly in the brightest sunshine. 



There is more than the usual diflerence 

 of opinion as to the families and genera placed 

 in this group by various authors. Some 

 included in it by one writer are by another 

 placed among the Noctuina, Pvralidi.na. 

 and even Tineina. These dififerences shall 

 be pointed under each heading. 



In Dr. Staudinger's catalogue the Bomuv- 

 ciNA are divided into fourteen families, as 

 follows : — 



NycL£OLID«. 

 LiTHOSID.t. 



Arctiid.e. 

 Hepialid.-e. 



COSSID.t. 

 CoCHLIOPOD.t. 

 PsVCHID.t. 

 LiPARID.C. 



bombvcid*. 

 Endromid.c 

 Saturn I D.t. 

 Drepanulid.i. 



NOTODONTID/1i. 



Cymatophoriu;e. 



The NvcTiKOLiu.t include only four 

 species, all of which are placed among the 

 ToRTRiciNA by Mr. Doubleday. Mr. Stain- 

 ton gives them the same relative position, 

 but he places three of them after the Ckam- 

 BiD/E (which he includes in the group 

 PvRALiDiNAj, and the fourth he gives first 

 among the Tortricina. It seems doubtful 

 if we even yet understand their true affinities. 

 The imagines are green, or greenish, and 

 rather glossy ; the wings are ample, and the 

 i bodies proportionately stout. The larvae 

 ' have sixteen legs, and spin a boat-like 

 1 cocoon, as do those of the genus Nola in the 

 next group. 



The LiTHOSiD.E according to Dr. Staudin- 

 ger include the families NoliD/E and Litho- 

 siD.E of Stainton and Doubleday. The 

 NoLiD.t are placed among the Pyralidina 



