Abstract
TWO or three years back, some entomological friends induced me to kill ali my insects with ammonia, instead of employ ing potassium cyanide, and I have never regretted the change I then made. Nearly the first species so treated was Melanargia galathea, and on opening the pill-boxes I was much surprised to find every one of them of a beautiful primrose-yellow colour. In a few moments the primrose-yellow had vanished and the insects were of their normal white again. Evidently this pheno menon was due to the volatile ammonia, so I held a specimen over the bottle, and instantly the primrose colour returned, only to disappear again with the departure of the pungent ammoniacal fumes. The reagent employed was a saturated aqueous solution of ammonia, and the black pigment of the wings remained un changed throughout. Now here was something of great interest and well worth investigation, so I determined to follow it up, and since that time have never lost an opportunity for experi ment or study. Many of my friends are now familiar with the results obtained, but as they appeared to be previously unknown to all those with whom I have communicated on the subject, I have thought it best to place them on record. They may be well known and authenticated, but to ascertain this a careful search through the vast mass of the chemical and microscopical literature both of this country and the Continent would be re quired, and for this my spare time is quite inadequate. I must therefore crave the indulgence of those who may be familiar with the facts herein recorded. Naturally, the first species selected for experiment was Melanargia galathea. As before, ammonia gave the primrose coloration. The next reagent employed was a solution of potasium hydrate, in which pieces of the wing were placed, and they immediately turned yellow. Other alkalis, such as solutions of sodium hydrate and barium hydrate, were tried, and gave similar results, the only difference being that with the fixed alkalis the primrose coloration was permanent, whereas with ammonia it was necessarily fleeting.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
COVERDALE, G. The Action Of Ammonia Upon Some Lepidopterous Pigments . Nature 30, 571 (1884). https://doi.org/10.1038/030571a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/030571a0