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A pairing took place on the 2d of June, and another on the 6th of June. The principal difference between the two species is in the cocoon. The Roylei cocoon is within a very large and tough envelope, while that of Pernyi has no outer envelope at all. The larvae of Roylei I reared did not thrive, and the small number I had only went to the fourth stage, owing to several causes.
The larvae of this new hybrid, Roylei-Pernyi, contrary to what might have been expected, were much easier to rear than those of Roylei, and the cocoons obtained are far superior to those of Roylei, in size, weight, and richness of silk. The cocoon of my new hybrid has, like Roylei, an envelope, but there is no space between this envelope and the true cocoon inside.
I do not think that such will be the case with the moths of the hybrid Roylei-pernyi, on account of the close relationship of Roylei with Pernyi, but nothing certain can be known till the moths have emerged. Here are the few notes taken on the hybrid Roylei-pernyi: Ova commenced to hatch on the 12th of June; these were from the pairing which had taken place on the 21st of May.
I have said that it is extremely difficult to obtain the pairing of Roylei moths in captivity. But the male Pernyi paired readily with the female Roylei. I obtained six such pairings, and a large quantity of fertile ova.
The hybrids hibernated in the pupa state. Roylei, as Pernyi, hibernates in the pupa state. In the November number, 1881, of "The Entomologist," Mr. W.F. Kirby, of the British Museum, wrote an article having for its title, "Hermaphrodite-hybrid Sphingidae," in which, referring to hybrids of Smerinthus ocellatus and populi, he says that hermaphroditism is the usual character of such hybrids.
The following Himalayan species have been found to thrive well in the warmer parts of England, and in close proximity to the sea; R. argenteum, R. arboreum, R. Aucklandii, R. barbatum, R. ciliatum, R. campanulatum, R. cinnabarinum, R. Campbelli, R. compylocarpum, R. eximium, R. Fortunei, R. Falconeri, R. glaucum, R. Hodgsoni, R. lanatum, R. niveum, R. Roylei, R. Thompsoni, and R. Wallichii.
I bred them under glass, in a green-house. A certain number of the larvae were unable to cut the shell of the egg. Here are a few notes I find in my book: Ova of Roylei commenced to hatch on the 29th of June; second stage commenced on the 9th of July. The larvae in the first two stages seemed to me similar to those of Pernyi, as far as I could see.
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