G 
THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
Acheronlia Alropos . — I beg to inform 
you that the larvae of this insect have 
been more than usually rife in this lo- 
cality during the present season. The 
lirst caterpillars I heard of were at Fel- 
mersham, where eleven of the “ monsters,” 
as they were termed, were discovered 
feeding on a tea-tree ( Lycium barbarum ) 
that grew round a cottage-door. Unfor- 
tunately the good dame of the cottage 
had killed them all just before I called 
upon her. One other caterpillar of the 
same species, but of a “ beautiful brown ” 
colour, had also been found, but liberated 
before I was aware of its capture. I 
need not say how much I was disap- 
j)oiuted on learning these events. Some 
days afterwards another one was found, 
nhich was safely forwarded to me. 
Since then I have received eight cater- 
])illars, all of which were found feeding 
upon potatoes. These were found nearly 
all in pairs. One, which had been found 
in a neighbour’s garden, was brought 
to me by a young girl (girls are my best 
assistants in collecting). I concluded 
another one would be found near the 
same spot, and, on a little research, I 
was not disappointed. Nearly all were 
full-grown when 1 received them ; those 
that were not ale most voraciously until 
they ceased feeding. I deposited them 
in flower-pots, filled three parts with 
earth, in which they speedily buried 
themselves. Two of the caterpillars were 
too far advanced towards their pupa-state 
to burrow in the earth, so they underwent 
their change upon the surface. After 
gradually fading in colour, and their skin 
becoming dry and shrivelled, they, in a 
few days, cast it off, and appeared in 
their chrysalis form, enveloped in a trans- 
])arent covering of a bright yellow colour, 
through which the thoracic segments were 
visible. Shortly the abdomen, or more 
particularly the posterior segments, as- 
sumed a ])inkish red, and gradually the 
whole niembranons skin of the insects 
thickened, hardened and deepened in 
colour, till it reached a logwood-brown. 
During the first day they seemed to be 
very susceptible of the air, for whenever 
they were exposed they appeared to be 
uneasy, but when closed over they became 
quite still. In from three to four days 
they had changed exteriorly to their per- 
fect pupa state. Amongst the caterpillars 
there was a variation of tints. The 
ground-colour of some was a rather light 
yellow, while the prevailing hue of others 
was greenish blue. Some were adorned 
with tricoloured stripes, violet, blue and 
lilac, which met in arrow-like points on 
the back, with lively yellow spaces be- 
tween. Others had the green bands, as 
described by some entomologists. The 
two pupee, up to the present date, are 
very healthy. Last year I was very un- 
fortunate with my pupa) of Sphinges and 
Smerhithi : I unfortunately damped with 
water the earth in which they had under- 
gone their change, and when I had occa- 
sion to examine them in the summer I 
discovered they were all dead, the pupa- 
cases being hard and spotted with white 
mould. For the future T purpose leaving 
the earth in the boxes in its natural con- 
dition, as it appears dangerous to the in- 
sects to irrigate. — W. B. Gkaiia.m, Sharn- 
brook, Beds; Sept. 14. 
EXCHANGE. 
European Lepidoptera . — I can dispose 
of Continental specimens of nearly all 
the British species (and of many an un- 
limited number), either at the low' prices 
quoted in my ‘ Vcrzeichniss’ or in ex- 
change for Exotic Lepidoptera, or for the 
following British species, of which I am 
in want : — Nos. !) 1 , !)7, 08, 20 1 , 230, 2 IG, 
247, 31 1 , 327, 345, 353, 404, 422. I can 
also furnish the Continental species which 
do not occur in England. Of the British 
species which I can supply largely, 1 may 
mention Nos. 3, 4, G8, 88, 80, 02, 04, 05, 
