Essentially a creature of the night, the Death's Head Moth can hardly be roused into animation in the day; even by pinching, and throwing it into the air, it can only be induced, and that in sluggish fashion, to flutter the shortest distance. But on the wing, at night, all is changed, for its power and endurance seem immense; few insects, indeed, possess a more powerful and sustained flight. It is often met with by ships at sea, to gain which it must have flown hundreds of miles from land. A specimen flew on board a steamer on her voyage from Africa, off Cape de Verde; and one has been taken by a fishing-boat in the North Sea, about a hundred miles east of May Island; and when €71 route for the Amazons, Wallace and Bates anchored off Salinas, at the pilot-station for vessels bound for

Para, they encountered two large hawk-moths. When pinched the moth seems able to exude an odour, which may be compared to that of jasmine or musk.

That it is Nomadic in Habit.

From this discovery of the moth at sea, frequently at a considerable distance from land, and in situations where it is impossible to suppose its presence to be involuntary, there seems no reason to doubt that it is nomadic in habit. It is an insect widely distributed. It is found over the whole of Europe, in Africa, and Western Asia, and in the eastern part of that continent is represented by a closely allied species; the genus, however, does not appear to occur in America. But while it has this wide geographical range, extending throughout Europe and Western Asia almost to the northern boundary of the colder temperate zone, probably its native home is in sub-tropical regions of India and Africa. In countries or districts within the colder temperate zone, as in Europe, its occurrence is of a somewhat fluctuating character; generally it is rather scarce, or only common in favourable years. In Great Britain, for instance, it has been found at some time or other in nearly every part of the country, from Land's End even to the Orkney and Shetland Isles;

but with one or two notable exceptions, of the south or south-eastern counties, where it is claimed to be observed almost every year, the records show its appearance to be uncertain. Roughly speaking, between 1865 and 1885 there was a period of a few years' duration when the species was common, followed by a long interval of scarcity; then the moth was common for two years in succession; after which, for a protracted time, in alternate years, it was generally scarce or locally common, followed again by an abnormal appearance and wide distribution. No doubt our entomolo""ical records are less full and complete than they might be, but from the observations we have, it is quite clear that the species is not of annual occurrence, but decidedly rare, or novel, to many localities. All the facts point to the Death's Head Moth being rather a wanderer in, than a denizen of, the greater portion of Britain, and that those which occur outside the one or two counties in which they may be said to be constant, are either migrants, or the offspring of migrants. May we not therefore believe that the rare specimens taken in the Orkneys, Shetlands, and such outlying portions of the kingdom, are visitors from the mainland (or the issue of these), who, in this case, obviously, have extended their rambles far from the place of their birth? Conceding nomadic proclivities to the moth, permits of us likewise easily accounting for its excessive abundance in certain years (otherwise a

difficult problem to solve), by supposing that its numbers are at such times largely reinforced by immigrants from the Continent. This subject of migration of Lepidoptera is beginning to attract the attention of entomologists, and it is expected that investigation will show that the abundance or scarcity of many species, besides the Death's Head Moth, is largely regulated by immigration. It remains for the future to disclose what are all the influences which cause the migration.

Somewhat unreliable in its times of appearance with us, usually the moth emerges in the autumn, in Sep-appearing to be pre-tember or October—September eminently the month when it is on the wing— and probably hybernates, or else it lies in pupa through the winter; and hybernated specimens, or specimens from hybernated pupse, are sometimes found in June. In a state of nature, in the opinion of some entomologists, the moths always emerge in the autumn, but when the pupa is kept under artificial conditions, the moth often appears in spring. Thus, Atropos seems taken from June to October inclusive, and it occasionally appears in November, though the latter date is exceptional. As for the larva, examples almost full-fed have been obtained at the end of June; the latest recorded date is October; but July and August, as already implied, appear to be the great months for this stage. It is

these larvcc that, under favourable circumstances, produce imagines in September. The time of duration in pupa thus varies exceedingly, from a few weeks, as in the case just stated, to as many months, in the case of the late pupae, whose appearance as perfect insects is delayed until the following spring or summer.

That we have but one generation of Atropos in the year is generally understood. Yet it strikes one, that larvse found full-fed as early as June must surely attain the adult state before September. These larvie have probably emerged from eggs laid by moths which on occasions are seen here in May, and, it may be suggested, they reach maturity by July or August, becoming in their turn the progenitors of the late September and October moths, and of the pupae whose development remains in abeyance until the following year. Since hybernated pupce in this country do not disclose the moths until about June, in all probability these May moths, the parents of the June larvce, are immigrants.

On Rearino[ the Death's Head Moth.

The pupse of Atropos, we have seen, are tender, sensitive subjects, and most difficult to rear. Putting things at their best, only about one in ten emerges. Under natural conditions, by means of the large

chamber of the soil, and gummy secretion spun by the larva, the pupa evidently obtains freedom from irritation, and a more equable temperature and amount of moisture, and the reason of so many pupae found not coming to maturity may lie in the very fact of this disturbance from their natural position. The difficulty of rearing is so o;t*eat as regfards those that do not turn to the moth in the autumn, that one of various plans for forcing them out is usually resorted to, as to keep them in a warm room, or even near a fire, always covered with moss, or like porous material, which is kept constantly damp; or they may be placed in bran, or fine sawdust. But probably, after all, in a general way, if simply protected from cold and left undisturbed, they will eventually yield the moths as well as if put through a course of " forcing."

On the other hand, it is a fact that the moth is not nearly so often met with as the larva. It may be, that while pupae from British parentage require only protection from frost to bring them to maturity, pupae which are the offspring of immigrants die unless aided by artificial warmth. Due to the frequency of its death before completing its tranformations, indigenous* specimens of this remarkable and interesting moth are still deemed by collectors desirable acquisitions.

Moths of immigrant parents are none the less British or indigenous. Wherever a moth naturally effects its metamorphoses, it must be recognized as belonging to the fauna of that country.

Air-sacs, in Acridiidre, 85 absent in other Orthoptera, 86 Acridian ears, situation of, 91 Acridiidce remarkable amongst Orthop-different forms of, 91, 92 tera for, 85 forms in which they are absent, 92 and powers of flight in locust, intimate found in both sexes, and in most association of, S6 species, 92 arrangement in Rocky Mountain function difficult to determine, 92; pos- Locust, 85 sible solution of difficulty, 93 found in various insects, 85 in Stenobothrus, 92 how dilated, 86 minute structure, 92 not found in larva;, nor in truly apter- AcridiidDS, prominent characteristics, S2 ous insects, 85 arranged in nine tribes, 132 use, 86 escape of the young from the egg, of Alluring Colouration, 35

Stmiroiiotus maroccajiiis, 99; of Ambulicinas, 222

Rocky Mountain Locust, 100 Ameles, prismatic capsules of, 20 some species present an unusual aspect, Amphibious habits, strange, of some 132 Tettigides, 134 Acridiides, 107, 108, 126, 133 Anabrus, increase to large numbers, 153 Acrophylla titan, 46, 64 Anatomy of Acridiidas, 83 Aellopos titan, shot by Bates in mistake A niinula lierrichii, strange larva case for a humming-bird, 222 of, 209; Iiuebneri, its larval case, Aeronaut, locust is an, 86 20S Affinities in nature, the series of, a con- Anisomorpha, defence of, 49, 50 catenation or continuous series, 187 Anostostoma, the curious genus, 156 Aggressive Mimicry, 37 Ants as locust enemies, 130 Resemblances, and Protective, 25, 48, Apterous Mantidte and Phasmidte com- 52, 60, 67, 132, 136, 139, 153, 154, pared, 24 183 Apterous Phasmidae, 44, 46, 48, 59, 63

Apuleius, and the fable of Ciipiil and Butterflies, the most beautiful of all

Psyche, 163, 174 insects, 176 Aschipasma, absence of elytra in, 43 favourite resorts, 176, 17S Asilus flies, as locust enemies, 129 interesting habits, 178-180 Ass, " the Golden," 163 like choice beds of flowers on the Atrophy of wings of Mantida.-, 14 moist sand, 179 not only gregarious, but migratory, 179 of a cjuarrelsome disposition, 180 B peculiarities of highest interest in, iSi twilight flyers, 180 Bacillus, the genus, 76 Butterfly life, immense variety of, in Bacteria corniita, eggs of, 53 ecjuatorial zone, 176 l^arber, Mrs., on " Voetgangers," 117 Bates, on Aellopos titan, its resemblance to a humming-bird, 222 his encounter of hawk moths at sea, Calasymbolus and Faonias, extremely 238 beautiful genera, 228 on the music of the Xanana, 148 Callidryas gathering in dense masses on Beauty of males of Psychid?e, probable ground, 179 cause of disappearance of, 214 Caloptcnus spretus. See Rocky Moun- Bee Hawk Moths, 222, 229 tain Locust Bee-Robber, Death's Head Moth as a, Capsule, egg, of Mantis religiosa, de- 236 scription of, 17 Bees, Death's Head Moth and, 237, 238 consistency, 19 that stridulous voice of Death's Head explanation of manner of formation, 20

Moth controls, 237 situation of the eggs; the median Boisduval on beauty of the Uraniidn?, 194 chamber, 18 on division of Lepidoptera into subsidiary parts, 19

Rhopalocera and Heterocera, 185 Capsules, egg, of Mantid?e, 16 Brachystola maff^na, the " buffalo-hopper " CarabidiT? as locust enemies, 129 or " lubber grasshopper," 140 Case Moths, in structure of female and Bradley, Richard, en the Walking-Leaf in habit the strangest and most

Insects, 72 abnormal of all Lepidoptera, 204, Brongniart, on the name Eumegalodon, 205 159 females have become degenerate, 204 on post-embryonic development of 214, 216, 217

Schislocerca peregrin a, i o i Cases, larval, of Psychida;, 205; enlarge-on Protophasmida;, 78 ment, repair, locomotion, temporary Brough, Mr., on a species of Weta from suspension, complete withdrawal,

Nelson, 158 mode of moving and retaining posi- Brunner, L., on colour difference of tion within case, 209-211

Oedipodides correlative with abundance of, 214; singular rarity of locality, 136 moths considering abundance of Buller, Sir \V., on the " Wetas," 157 cases, 215, 216

1 3

Castnia, the genus, 1S7 Cry, singular, produced by Death's Head

Fabricius on, 18S Moth, 233; theories to account for Castniida% an abnormal collection of phenomenon, 233-235 pretty insects, 185, 187 Cupid and Psyche, fable of, 163, 174 and Uraniidce, 185 Cursoria and Saltatoria, the series, 8r geographical range, 190 have most affinities with moths, 1S7 in some respects combine the D characters of both lepidopterous divisions, 187-190 Dappula tcrtia, 2 1 Caudal horn of Sphingidx-, 220, 226 Day- flying moths, 184 Cave-dwellers, 156 migratory habits, 201 Cecidomyia, galls of, on willows, 143 Death of Mantida, 17, 21 eggs of Locustidie laid in, 143 Death's Head Hawk Moth, 225, 230; Ceroys, a Peruvian, 65 larva, appearance, food, 231, 232; from Nicaragua, 65 pupation, 232, 241-243 Chxradodis, special Protective Resem- an object of alarm to the superstitious, blance of, 30, 3 235 where found, 31 as a bee-robber, 236 CJutrocampa celcrio, 229 at sea, 238, 239, 241 Chcerocampince, 222, 224, 225, 228, 229 is sluggish, 238 chiefly remarkable for power of swift its cry, theories put forward to account and long-sustained flight, 233 for, 233, 234 Change of colour, in Phasmidx, 44, 57, its grim feature, 231, 233, 236 102 of superior dimensions, of nocturnal in Acridiida;, loi habit, 230, 231, 233. 235, 236, 23S Characteristics and habits of Phasmidii?, on rearing, 232, 242 44 sound emitted by pupa, 234; by larva,

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