tical with that bred by Mr. Westwood? A comparison of⚫ specimens will best determine. Will Mr. Woodward com

municate winged ones? The cocoon of Trichiosòma lucòrum which he sent us this spring (collected in December, 1831), as being infested with ichneumons, is now full of larvæ, each enveloped in silky matter, but every one seems dead. J. D.

Notice of some singular Varieties of Papilionidæ in Mr. Weaver's Museum, Birmingham. - Sir, It is with pleasure that I observe, p. 546., a notice and account of the museum of natural history at Birmingham, which has been amassed by the indefatigable industry and perseverance of Mr. Weaver. I lately visited the institution, for the first time since its establishment, and was much gratified by what I saw there. In particular, the collection of British insects, which is beautifully arranged, appeared to me as one of the best and most extensive of any to which the public have ready access. It would be foreign to my purpose, if not superfluous, to attempt to give any thing like a full account even of this one department of the museum. The object of my present notice is merely to call the attention of entomologists to one or two singular varieties of Papilionida with which the collection is enriched: these Mr. Weaver has intrusted to my care, and kindly allowed me to forward to you, for the purpose of being figured in your Magazine.

The first which I shall mention is an extraordinary variety of Argynnis Adippe? (fig. 122.), which was taken in Sutton

Park, about five years ago. The anterior wings above are nearly black, "embrowned at the base," near which there is a bright, lunar, fulvous mark, and beyond it, more towards the apex a fainter dot of the same colour; a row of elongated tawny spots parallel with the hinder margin, extends from the apex. to the lower angle. The posterior wings approach more nearly to those of the ordinary examples; but are very much darker, having the spots and chequered markings less

determinate, and running into each other. Beneath, on the anterior wings the black colour is predominant, except on the outer margin, which is tawny; the lunar fulvous mark is also apparent. The posterior wings are of a brown green, with numerous silver spots, of which four in "the second series from the margin are tarnished with black." The metallic spots are much smaller than in the ordinary specimens. I believe this is the identical specimen alluded to by Mr. Stephens in his Illustrations (see Addenda to Haustellata, vol. i. p. 147.); and of his description I have in part availed myself. I should have been in doubt, and indeed, still am so, whether this insect ought, with more propriety, to be called a variety of A. Adippe or of Aglàia. Owing to the prevailing green tint of the posterior wings beneath, I should have referred it to the latter; as Mr. Stephens, however, has pronounced it to be of the former species, I yield to his better judgment.

Fig. 123. I conceive to be that variety of Argynnis Aglaia,

which has been published by various authors under the name of Charlótta: it differs from Aglaia principally in having "the six basal silver spots on the under side of the posterior wings united into three larger" elongated "ones." (Stephens's Illustrations.) In the present specimen, which was taken, Mr. Weaver informs me, in the neighbourhood of York, five or six years since, the black spots and markings on the upper side of the posterior wings are less distinctly defined than the cor responding ones in the anterior pair; being somewhat clouded and confluent. I have not the means of comparing this with other specimens of Charlótta: should the insects so named be all of them varieties of Aglaia, probably no two examples may exactly correspond with each other.

Fig. 124. is a very interesting insect, allied to Melita a Selene; of which, perhaps, it may be only a variety. Mr. Weaver possesses two specimens, both of which were taken in Sutton Park: one about ten years ago; the other, not

more than five or six. It differs from M. Selène in being rather smaller, and having the black spots and characters on the upper surface of both pair of wings larger and stronger, so that the whole assumes a darker appearance than that insect. But the principal difference consists in the under side of the posterior wings, which are of a brownish purple, interspersed with darker markings of the same colour, and numerous irregular semi-metallic spots; a row of which borders the posterior margin. I would invite the attention of entomologists to this insect, which deserves minute investigation. As Mr. Weaver has taken two examples of it in the same place, in different and distant seasons, it may possibly prove a distinct species; but, for the present, I would refer it to M. Selène, of which it is at least a very strong variety.

Fig. 125. is a foreign insect, which Mr. Weaver received in a collection from the Himalaya Mountains. It strongly resembles Vanéssa Atalanta; or, rather, is intermediate between that species and Cynthia cárdui. I believe it to be the same, or nearly so, with that to which I formerly alluded (see p. 334., note ), as in the cabinet of my friend, Mr. Haworth: I speak doubtfully, as it is difficult to carry nice distinctions in the mind's eye. Our present insect certainly approaches V. Atalánta much more closely than it does C. cárdui. From the former it differs in having the transverse band of a less brilliant scarlet, and much more irregular and interrupted, and in this respect resembling the corresponding band in C. cárdui; the white spots, also, at the apex of the anterior wings, are smaller than those of Atalánta. The posterior wings are of a dark sooty brown (not black), with the scarlet border narrower, and a double row of larger black spots, besides those on the cilia. Beneath, the posterior wings are paler than those of Atalanta; and here again the insect approaches C. cárdui in the marbling towards the base, and the ocelli (which, however, are more obscure) near the margin. The under side, indeed, of the posterior wings is exactly intermediate between those of the two species with which I have instituted a comparison. From both, however, this

Himalayan admiral is undoubtedly distinct; and it is interesting, as showing the nice and beautiful gradations which nature makes between one insect and another; borrowing (if I may so speak) certain characters respectively from each of two nearly allied species, in order to make up a third distinct from either; and thus ringing the changes, as it were, with colour, markings, &c. Linnæus long ago said, "Natura non facit saltus," Nature does not take leaps; - and the aphorism is beautifully exemplified in the above instance. Among the insects which I have said Mr. Weaver received from the Himalayan Mountains were specimens of Papilio Machàon, differing, so far as I can perceive, in no respect from European examples. The specimen which he kindly lent me for inspection is rather smaller, and has the colours less brilliant, than some British specimens of Machàon in my possession. I mention the occurrence of this insect in the interior of India, to show how widely the species is distri buted through different parts of the world.

Besides the varieties of Papilionidæ above noticed, I observed in the Birmingham museum the white variety of Còlias Edusa (see p. 332., fig. 72.), taken, as I was informed, near York; also a copper allied to Lycæ'na díspar, but smaller, which may perhaps prove to be a distinct species; but, not having it in my possession, I cannot attempt to describe it from mere recollection.

Ranged among Mr. Weaver's British insects are several specimens of Colias Európome, which, no doubt, are of

foreign origin, palmed upon him as indigenous; he has no knowledge of the place or time of their capture.

In conclusion, I would strongly recommend such of your entomological readers as may have the opportunity, to pay a personal visit to the Birmingham museum, which, if I mistake not, will afford them a considerable treat. Mr. Weaver deserves well of the scientific world and the public at large; and I sincerely hope that his enterprising spirit will meet with its due reward Yours, &c.-W. T. Bree. Allesley Rectory, July 17. 1832.

Names of Vanessa urticæ and polychloros erroneously applied. -At p. 574. there is an error which should be corrected, viz. "the tortoise-shell butterfly (Polychlòros urtìca)," and again, "a full-sized Polychlòros urticæ." I suppose the writer means Vanessa urticæ, which is the small tortoise-shell butterfly, as Vanéssa polychloros is the large one. "Polychloros urticæ," therefore, is nonsense, unless (which I hope is not the case) these two insects are new christened by the generic name of Polychloros.-W. T. Bree. Allesley Rectory, August 21. 1823. Hermaphrodite Argynnis Paphia. Sir, The notices of hermaphrodite insects, in Vol. IV. p. 150. 434., induce me to mention that I last year took a specimen of Argynnis Pàphia, the right wing of which was marked like that of the male, and its left wing like that of the female. Yours, &c.— Thomas Allis. York, 27th of the 6th month (June), 1832.

The Brimstone-coloured Butterfly (Gonépteryx rhámni), Dates of its appearing. (p. 595.) This was once seen by Mr. Bree, on the wing, on the tenth day of March, 1826, see p. 595. This year it was seen here on the 18th of January, and again on March 8th. In 1831 I saw it with the early white butterfly (Póntia Chariclèa, on Feb. 10. In 1800, my first notice of it was on March 24. Sigma. Saffron Walden, Sept. 25. 1832.

Fortrix viridana (p. 670.) at Saffron Walden. - We have had here, this season, great numbers of the Tórtrix viridàna, but they have not committed such extensive depredations as mentioned by your correspondent, C. P., p. 670., so far as I have noticed. Id. [See Haworth's Lepidopt. Brit.-J. D.]

Corollas perforated by Bees. (p. 86.) On the 28th of June, 1832, I witnessed in the horn-shaped nectaries of the blossoms of heartsease, that most of them had a small circular hole bitten out of them near the extremity where the nectar is lodged; and, early in June, I also noticed that the horn-shaped nectariferous petals of the columbine had been very generally perforated as Dr. Withering has observed them to be, as stated p. 86. J. D.