22S 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  18,  1897. 
og posits  a  good  number — above  a  hundred,  no  doubt,  it 
shows  no  tendency  to  increase,  but  rather  to  diminish  throughout 
the  country.  I  do  not  think  it  is  or  has  been  made  less  common 
by  the  exertions  of  farmers  and  gardeners  because,  large  as  it  is, 
the  caterpillar  does  no  serious  damage  to  Potato  crops,  nor  indeed 
to  the  other  plants  upon  which  it  sometimes  occurs.  Of  course,  some 
of  them  are  killed  by  the  workers  amongst  Potato  crops.  In  several 
counties  the  death’s  head  caterpillar  is  known  by  the  ridiculous 
name  of  “lokus”  if  it  happens  to  be  noticed.  Generally  it  retires 
under  the  earth  by  day  or  rests  upon  it,  feeding  at  night.  This 
may  be  a  natural  precaution  against  the  attacks  of  birds  ;  possibly 
ic  is  in  danger  from  some  species.  Experiments  in  rearing  this 
moth  prove  that  it  is  rather  liable  to  die  from  various  causes 
instead  of  emerging  from  the  pupal  state.  Then  the  species  is 
sometimes  the  victim  of  ichneumon  parasites,  which,  small  as  they 
are,  kill  the  caterpillar  before  it  reaches  maturity.  Again,  there  is 
another  peculiar  circumstance  in  its  history — that  most  years,  if 
not  invariably,  a  part  of  the  annual  brood  comes  out  on  the  wing 
late  in  autumn,  about  October  or  even  November,  and  these  moths 
die  off  without  depositing  any  eggs. 
The  familiar  English  name  of  “death’s  head  ”  bestowed  upon 
this  harmless  and  handsome  moth  is  ominous  enough  5  the  Latin 
ones  are  equally  gloomy,  significant  of  death,  and  of  the  river, 
which,  according  to  the  myth,  flowed  in  the  infernal  regions.  All 
this  arose  from  the  thorax  of  the  species  in  this  genus  bearing  a 
mark  resembling  a  skull  or  skull  and  cross  bones.  Superstitious 
fancies  connected  with  our  native  example  have  had  two  opposite 
results  in  the  minds  of  some  folks — a  desire  to  kill  the  creature, 
and  also  a  fear  of  meddling  with  it  should  one  approach.  Now  and 
then  a  death’s  head  has  appeared  in  a  shop  startling  people  con¬ 
siderably,  being  attracted  no  doubt  by  some  odour  such  as  comes 
from  a  grocer’s.  In  some  countries  the  moth  is  supposed  t  >  be  the 
companion  of  witches,  and  to  mutter  mournfully  as  it  flies  the 
names  of  persons  who  are  soon  to  die,  or,  from  its  happening  to  be 
common  at  the  time  of  an  epidemic,  it  has  been  regarded  as  a 
disease  bringer.  Even  about  England  the  entry  of  one  into  a 
house  has  been  thought  a  sign  of  illness  or  death,  and  in  Hamp¬ 
shire  some  villagers  have  the  odd  notion  that  the  death  s  head 
moth  was  unknown  till  after  the  execution  of  Charles  I. 
An  average  sized  specimen  measures  about  5  inches  across  the 
expanded  wings.  The  body,  head,  and  legs  are  thickly  clothed  with 
velvety  hair  ;  in  colour  it  is  chiefly  brown,  varied  with  yellow  and 
black  ;  the  thick  antenDse  have  hooked  tips.  Though  it  seems  to 
be  a  cumbrous  flier  this  moth  is  known  to  travel  long  distances,  and 
is  believed  to  cross  the  Channel  sometimes.  Short  is  the  proboscis 
or  trunk,  hence  the  number  of  flowers  from  which  it  can  obtain 
honey  is  limited,  and  the  moth  visits  gardens  or  orchards  partly  to 
feast  upon  over-ripe  ard  fallen  fruit.  July  or  August  is  the 
season  of  its  flight,  and  the  young  caterpillars  are  about  in 
September.  They  have  been  taken  feeding  on  Jessamine  in 
gardens,  along  hedges  on  the  Bittersweet  or  Woody  Nightshade, 
and  other  wild  species  of  Solanum,  also  they  will  patronise  the 
Snowberry  and  the  Tea  Tree  (Lycium  barbarum).  Even  in  the 
same  brood  the  colouring  of  individuals  varies,  shades  of  brown, 
yellow,  or  grey,  but  always  black  dotted  and  bearing  seven  bluish 
stripes,  the  tail  having  a  rough  and  recurved  horn.  When  full 
grown  the  death’s  head  caterpillar  is  indeed  a  giant  of  the  cater¬ 
pillar  race,  and  being  an  unarmed  giant  has  reason  to  be  wary  in  its 
movements  as  it  increases  in  size.  A  search  for  it  is  most  likely 
to  be  successful  if  made  in  the  dusk  of  evening,  or  later,  by  the 
aid  of  a  lantern. 
All  gardeners  will  have  observed  that  caterpillars  generally  have 
no  idea  of  acting  on  the  defensive.  Any  large  one,  should  it  be 
annoyed,  will  attempt  to  bite,  throwing  its  head  about  in  an  aimless 
way  ;  but  the  jaws,  so  effective  for  cutting  food,  seem  unable  to 
pierce  the  skin  of  the  hand,  nor  could  they  keep  off  a  bird  enemy. 
It  is,  however,  the  fact  that  caterpillars  occasionally  bite,  and  even 
kill  each  other  ;  some,  too,  have  special  means  of  defence  against 
their  foes,  and  the  death’s  head  has  the  power,  extremely  unusual 
amongst  caterpillars,  of  producing  a  sound.  This  was  first  noticed 
by  a  German  entomologist  (the  insect  is  much  commoner  on  the 
Continent  than  it  is  here),  and  he  compared  it  to  the  snap  of  an 
electric  spark.  An  English  entomologist,  who  has  reared  many  of 
these  caterpillars,  finds  that  some  of  them  are  less  inclined  than 
others  to  make  this  noise,  meant,  no  doubt,  to  startle  the  meddle¬ 
some  from  too  near  approach.  What  offends  this  caterpillar 
particularly  is  to  be  tapped  on  the  head.  Mr.  Paulton  says  his 
conclusion  is  that  the  sound  is  produced  by  the  mandibles,  which 
are  large,  and  have  a  remarkable  range  of  movement,  so  that  they 
can  bite  over  each  other.  On  the  outer  surface  of  each  is  a  trans¬ 
verse  ridge,  and  when  one  mandible  is  gliding  over  the  other 
towards  the  base  it  passes  over  this  ridge  with  a  jerk.  The 
resistance  and  the  clash  of  the  hard  membrane  probably  explains 
the  noise. 
While  a  torpid  pupa  the  insect  may  be  made  vocal  if  it  is  near 
the  time  of  emergence.  An  entomologist  removed  part  of  the 
mesh  covering  the  head,  and  a  Bound  was  heard,  which  seemed  to 
be  caused  by  the  tongue  being  drawn  into  the  form  of  a  bow  and 
then  flattened  as  before.  This  is,  however,  like  that  of  the 
caterpillar,  faint  to  that  produced  by  the  moth,  and  also  different. 
Its  plaintive  cry  has  been  compared  to  the  squeak  of  a  mouse  ;  it 
is  peculiar,  and  has  no  doubt,  as  remarked,  much  to  do  with  the 
superstitious  fears  of  the  winged  insect  which  exist  in  many 
countries.  Some  entomologists  supposed  the  sound  came  from  a 
special  apparatus  in  the  body,  but  it  is  now  believed  to  arise  from 
the  friction  of  the  proboscis  or  tongue  against  the  palpi.  The 
known  visits  of  the  death’s  head  to  bee  hives  suggested  the  idea 
that  the  moth  by  means  of  this  sound  alarmed  or  paralysed  the 
bees,  and  thus  avoided  the  danger  of  a  sting.  But  I  really  can 
scarcely  think  an  insect  so  courageous  as  the  bee  generally  shows 
itself  to  be  would  be  at  all  affected. 
In  Britain  this  moth  has  been  noticed  to  haunt  bee  hives. 
Evidently  it  has  no  chance  of  entering  the  average  hive  of  modern 
style  ;  it  can  smell  the  honey,  but  it  is  unattainable.  The  old- 
fashioned  hive  did  give  access,  and  occasionally  one  would  be  found 
dead  within  ;  having  entered  it  could  not  always  escape.  For 
sanitary  reasons  the  bees,  it  was  noticed,  often  embalmed  the  big 
body  of  the  moth  with  propolis.  On  the  Continent  bee-keepers 
have  found  the  bees  construct  a  kind  of  fortification,  sometimes 
just  at  the  door,  which  excludes  the  moth.  Entomologists  seem  to 
doubt  whether  the  sting  of  a  bee  could  penetrate  the  fur  and 
euticle  of  this  species.  To  add  one  more  fact,  the  insect  has  been 
perceived  to  give  off  now  and  then  a  pleasant  odour  like  that  of 
Jessamine. — Entomologist  . 
LAPAGERIAS. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  that  these  plants  will  bear  low  temperature* 
without  injury,  and  a  slight  frost  reaching  them  when  grown  under 
glass  does  not  appear  to  injure  them  in  the  least.  But  in  houses  where 
the  winter  temperature  is  low,  and  the  structure  is  also  kept  as  cool  and 
airy  as  possible  in  spring,  the  plants  are  placed  at  a  great  disadvantage 
in  comparison  with  those  that  are  accorded  more  genial  treatment. 
Under  cool  treatment  throughout  the  year,  or  duriDg  the  earlier 
months  of  the  year,  Lapagerias  are  naturally  late  in  starting  into  growth, 
which  largely  influences  the  flowers  they  produce.  The  wood  has  no  time 
to  mature  thoroughly,  the  flowers  are  late  and  do  not  possess  that  bright 
colour  and  size  characteristic  of  good  forms  of  L.  rosea,  while  its  white 
companion  is  too  often  tinged  with  pink.  Late  flowers  of  the  last  named, 
produced  under  cool  autumn  treatment,  have  in  addition  a  greenish 
tinge  that  mars  their  beauty. 
Temperature. 
To  grow  Lapagerias  freely,  strongly,  and  rapidly,  the  structure  in 
which  they  are  accommodated  should  be  kept  close  and  moist  from  the 
present  time,  with  a  night  temperature  of  about  50°.  The  conditions 
favourable  for  starting  Azaleas  and  Camellias  into  growth  after  they 
have  flowered  are  suitable  for  Lapagerias.  Tney  soon  start  into  growth 
in  fact,  if  the  temperature  of  the  house  in  which  they  are  growing  has 
ranged  from  40°  to  45°  throughout  the  winter,  they  will  be  ready  for 
bursting  at  once  into  growth,  and  strong  shoots  will  soon  commence  to 
issue  from  the  base.  By  assisting  them  to  make  their  growth  early  their 
shoots  lengthen  rapidly,  and  partially  mature  the  foliage  before  the  sun 
gains  much  power  and  shading  becomes  necessary. 
Cold  draughts  cause  the  young  tender  shoots  to  flag  nearly  as  much 
as  bright  sunshine  does,  therefore  little  ventilation  is  given  before 
April,  when  it  may  be  gradually  increased  until  greenhouse  treatment 
is  given  them  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  May.  The  plants  have 
thus  a  longer  season  of  growth  and  abundarce  of  time  to  mature  their 
wood  thoroughly.  This  is  important  if  they  are  to  bear  flowers  freely, 
large  and  bright  in  colour,  or  of  the  purest  white.  Gentle  warmth, 
even  during  the  close  of  the  flowering  season,  will  prevent  their  coming 
green  or  tinged  with  pink.  This  is  certainly  the  result  of  a  low  tempera¬ 
ture.  The  plants  increase  much  more  rapidly  in  size  by  the  gentle 
assistance  advocated  than  they  are  capable  of  doing  by  the  cool  airy 
treatment  too  often  given  them. 
Where  Lapagerias  can  be  planted  out  they  make  greater  progress 
than  in  pots.  This  is  not  because  they  like  a  large  amount  of  soil  for 
their  roots  to  ramble  in,  but  because  they  are  not  exposed  to  the  same 
drying  influences  as  in  pots.  Their  roots  require  a  cool  position  where 
a  uniform  condition  of  moisture  can  be  maintained  without  having  to 
be  continually  pouring  water  into  the  soil.  In  selecting  a  place  for 
them,  hot-water  pipes,  or  anything  else  that  may  tend  to  unduly  dry 
the  soil,  should  be  avoided.  Tuba  decay,  or  they  would  be  better  than 
pots,  because  they  do  not  dry,  however  rapid  evaporation  may  be,  quickly 
enough  to  be  a  source  of  danger  to  the  roots.  Probably  the  next  best 
method  is  growing  them  in  large  pots,  and  plunging  these  to  the  rims 
to  prevent  evaporation. 
Compost. 
The  soil  in  which  Lapagerias  will  flourish  is  not  so  important’as 
many  suppose,  for  I  have  seen  them  luxuriate  in  a  variety  of  composts. 
