80 



in the " Entomologist's Intelligencer" for 1858. The following remarks are 

 taken from Newman's British Moths, 18G9: 



" I have found the caterpillar of this geometer on the leaves of the com- 

 mon persicaria {Polygonum persicaria) ; but I have not described it from 

 nature, as a very accurate description, which 1 have; ([noted below, was pre- 

 viously published in the 'Entomologist's Intelligencer' for 1858 : 'A lovely 

 female of this species laid me some eggs on the 24th of .July. They were 

 oblong, llattish, and yellow, but changed to a dusky-brown color on the 1st 

 of August. The following day, the caterpillars hatched. At first, they were 

 very dingy, but on the bth of August became dusky sap-green, and on the 

 lGth assumed their characteristic markings. There were evidently two dis- 

 tinct varieties, one of which had the ground-color of a greenish gray, tinged 

 with red between the segments; the spiracular line blackish, and irregularly 

 interrupted ; the back (except the last two segments) dusky, having on the 

 intermediate segments a row of five elongated diamonds of the ground-color, 

 with a dusky dot in each ; on the front segments, these markings ran into three 

 parallel dusky lines, while, on the end segments, there were four slender, dusky 

 lines arranged in a diamond pattern ; the claspers had a dusky stripe running 

 down them. The other variety had the ground-color of a light yellowish 

 green, quite yellow between the segments; the spiracular line and pattern on 

 the back faintly' indicated by dusky-black lines and dots. These caterpillars 

 fed readily on groundsel (Seneciovu/gar/v), at last eating through steins bigger 

 than themselves; but, as their frass seemed very watery, I doubt whether 

 this is their proper food. They were quiet in their habits, resting on the 

 under side of the leaves, hiding themselves skillfully, and could not be easily 

 dislodged. When disturbed, they curled up the front segments, but not into 

 such a twisted knot as I have sometimes seen in more slender geometers. 

 From the 21st to the 23d of August, the caterpillars, being full-fed, spun up 

 in moss. After having been in chrysalis about a fortnight, the perfect insects 

 emerged. There went down two of the green and tour of the darker cater- 

 pillars. These have come up again, one C. Jluoiata (male), and five C. gem- 

 maria (female), such a narrow risk did I run of missing the solution of this 

 problem. Solved, however, it is; and C.Jluriata and C. gemmaria are hereby 

 declared to be man and wife. I expected to find the difference of color in 

 the caterpillar would turnout to be a sexual one; this, however, has been 

 contradicted by the result. The chrysalis is brown, smooth, spiked at the 



