as previously stated, that a greater number of females than of males die whilst confined to the cocoons. He adds that with certain species one sex seems to preponderate over the other during certain years. Of direct observations on the sexes of Lepidoptera, reared either from eggs or caterpillars, I have received only the few following cases: (See following table.) So that in these eight lots of cocoons and eggs, males were produced in excess. Taken together the proportion of males is as 122.7 to 100 females. But the numbers are hardly large enough to be trustworthy. On the whole, from these various sources of evidence, all pointing in the same direction, I infer that with most species of Lepidoptera, the mature males generally exceed the females in number, whatever the proportions may be at their first emergence from the egg. Males Females The Rev. J. Hellins* of Exeter reared, during 1868, imagos of 73 species, which consisted of 153 137 Mr. Albert Jones of Eltham reared, during 1868, imagos of 9 species, which consisted of 159 126 During 1869 he reared imagos from 4 species consisting of 114 112 Mr. Buckler of Emsworth, Hants, during 1869, reared imagos from 74 species, consisting of 180 169 Dr. Wallace of Colchester reared from one brood of Bombyx cynthia 52 48 Dr. Wallace raised, from cocoons of Bombyx Pernyi sent from China, during 1869 224 123 Dr. Wallace raised, during 1868 and 1869, from two lots of cocoons of Bombyx yamamai 52 46 Total 934 761 (*83. This naturalist has been so kind as to send me some results from former years, in which the females seemed to preponderate; but so many of the figures were estimates, that I found it impossible to tabulate them.)