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Psyche 14:8, 1907.

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Section 25. Getting butterfly eggs for rearing. Under this practical title author has some interesting biological notes on the egg-laying of butterflies. Parnassius, Argynnis, Euptoieta Neonympha, and all genera of Satyridae "will lay their eggs upon anything, even on the net itself if other matters, as proper shade, warmth, air and quiet, are agreeable.'' All other butterflies demand their own peculiar larval food plant, "and it is necessary that the plant should be fresh and bright, as .
the butterfly will not oviposit on a plant that is at all wilted." Section 37. Breeding in darkness and in cold. "When caterpillars are bred or raised in darkness from egg to imago, the resulting imago will be darker in color than the normal; the dark spots or lines will be broader and more dense or dusky and the lighter ones will be sordid or dusky. But no excessive variation or deviation from the plan of the normal form has ever been noticed, for the effort has many and many times been made to create new forms by this method." So also by cold. Caterpillars raised in an ice house or in cold storage where the temperature is kept down as low as possible will never develop any radical variation, but the butterflies will be darker than they would have been if raised in a normal temperature. Section 38. Migration of butterflies.
Describes large swarms or flights of
Pyrameis cardui, not always in the same direction, but generally to the northward. Some came from Baja California and reached British Columbia! LARGE BUTTERFLY CAPTURED BY CRAB-SPIDER.- On the 13th of August, 1905, a swallow tail butterfly (Papilio troilus L.) was found lying dead by the side of the Amboy Road at Tottenville, Staten Island. Clinging to the body of the butterfly under one of its wings, was a small whitish crab-spider 7 mm. long, such as is often found on flowers awaiting its insect prey. Evidently the large butterfly had been attacked by the small spider, and had flown away with it, only to die later by the side of the road. There were no flowers near and the butterfly must necessarily have flown some distance before being overcome. The spider has been shown to Mr. J. H. Emerton, who says it is Misumem ukatoria; a species commonly found on the blossoms of wild carrot and thorough- wort where it sits between the flowers and catches butterflies and other insects that alight on them. He adds: - "A butterfly a little too large might easily carry a spider away as yours appears to have done."- WM. T. DAVIS. Pachc 1433 (1907). hitp //psyche entclub org/l#14-OOa html



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