19 
possession of all the slides, and preparing a report on their 
united observations. The sample now distributed was ob- 
tained at Dr. Fairbairn’s request by Mr. Saward from 
Mr. Temple one of the Engineering Staff, who states that 
it was got in grappling for the Cable, August 11th, 1865, 
Lat. 51° 25' 15" N. Long. 38° 59' W. 
Mr. Sidebotham also read the following “ Notes on 
Acherontia atropos” • 
The Death’s -Head Moth, which was in former times 
an object of such dread that the appearance of a speci- 
men of it was, like a comet, considered the precursor of 
some dreadful event, appears to be gradually becoming 
more common. If I remember rightly, it was Stothard the 
Artist who was so fortunate as to capture a specimen for 
his collection when a genuine British specimen was ex- 
ceedingly rare. Even in my recollection a guinea or two 
was not considered too much to pay for a fine example. 
This season the insect has been unusually abundant, at least 
a score of larvae having been found about my own neighbour- 
hood. It has also been found at Bowdon, Middleton, Old- 
ham, S trines, and other places round Manchester ; in Middle- 
ton about 170 have occurred. Between Lytham and Black- 
pool it has been remarkably common ; among those I obtained 
at Lytham was a very remarkable specimen, of which I made 
a rough drawing ; it was so unlike the usual form that many 
who saw it fancied it must be some other species, but the 
same has been noticed by Stanton as occurring now and 
then, and Mr. Harrison obtained another somewhat similar 
at Bowdon. My specimen is still in the pupa state, and I 
shall carefully note whether or not the moth produced varies 
from the usual form. 
Dr. Alcock read a paper entitled <tf Questions regarding 
