354 Proceedings of the Royal Fhysicai Society. 
The pupa measures 2f inches long, by 2^ inches in its 
greatest circumference, about the middle of its length. 
In the beginning of last October a box reached Dr S. 
containing a small-sized pupa, and the cast skin of a cater- 
pillar of the Death's-head Moth, along with some dry leaves 
of the potato plant. A note from Mr D. M'Diarmid, Bridge- 
end of Alness, Eoss-shire, dated 8th September 1855, in- 
formed Dr S. he had that day sent him " a live specimen of 
natural history unknown to every one there, even to the 
oldest inhabitant ; — it was a very large species of caterpillar 
found among the potato plots of the village, and no less than 
four specimens of it had been observed." Mr M'Diarmid 
placed the caterpillar, along with some leaves for its food, 
in a box, and sent it to Dr Smith, to see if he could learn 
what the rare insect was. Unfortunately, the box did not 
reach Dr Smith until more than a month afterwards, and he 
found, instead of the caterpillar, the pupa (now exhibited) ; 
the poor half-starved larva having apparently become pre- 
maturely changed into the pupa state. It is therefore 
very much less in size than the one previously described, 
measuring only If inch long, by If inch in its greatest 
circumference, about the middle of its length. It remained 
alive for some time afterwards, but at last also died, without 
changing into the imago or perfect insect, — an event which 
seems very frequently to occur where the pupa is not kept 
in its natural state, deeply buried in the damp earth. 
There is no doubt, from the smooth and regularly oval 
pupa, as well as from the skin of the caterpillar, cast off at 
its change into the pupa state — which displays, at the extre- 
mity of its body, the characteristic deflexed and tubercular 
horn, with its tip turned upwards — that this is also a pupa 
of the Death's-head Moth. 
The two specimens of pupae now exhibited are curious, \ 
as showing such a difference of size in the pupae of the same 
insect. i 
Another specimen of the Death's-head Moth, the perfect | 
insect, was sent to Dr Smith by the Kev. John Donaldson, j 
it was found lying dead last September at Druimchastel farm, | 
near Kin loch Eannoch, Perthshire. 
