131 



<lfortnmnlngt|. 



LIST OF LEPLDOPTERA OCCURRING IN THE COUNTY 

 OP SUFFOLK. 



BY THE BET. JOSEPH GREECE, M.A., ASSISTED BY THE EEV. H. HARPUB CEEWE, M.A., 



AND C. E. BREE, ESQ. 



[The portions of these papers contributed by Mr. Crewe and Mr. Bree, are signed with the 

 initials C and B respectivel}-. N.B. at the head of a paragraph signifies that the remarks 

 are made after those of Mr. Greene.] 



( Continued from page 111.) 



63. JV. trepida. — Tolerably plentiful. As far as my experience goes, there 

 are only two methods, which present a reasonable prospect of success, of 

 obtaining this insect, namely, by breeding from the egg, or by digging for 

 the pupa. The beautiful larva is such a conspicuous object, that it frequently 

 becomes a prey to hungry birds, and is at the same time so subject to the 

 attacks of ichneumons, that I do not think one in five escapes both these 

 enemies. While on the subject of pupa-digging I may mention one great 

 advantage of it, namely, the large size of some of the specimens obtained in 

 this way. It will readily be admitted on all hands that insects bred in con- 

 finement rarely, if ever, attain the size they sometimes reach when left to 

 their own devices. This may easily be accounted for. It is almost impossible, 

 (in a town quite impossible,) to keep them constantly supplied with fresh juicy 

 food — there must always be a comparative absence of pure air, and lastly, 

 there is in many cases a want of what I consider very necessary, sufficient 

 moisture. I am quite satisfied that in a state of nature larvse .4rink: I do 

 not say this in an offensive sense — I only insinuate that they drink water. 

 That they do so in captivity is beyond all question. Sprinkle a few drops of 

 water occasionally in your breeding-cage, and watch a caterpillar the moment 

 its mouth touches a drop. If of moderate size and tolerably thirsty, he will not 

 leave it till the whole is imbibed. This I have noticed over and over again, and 

 consequently I always dash a little water over their food, about once every 

 two days. I had nearly forgotten to remark that the larva of this species is 

 one of those which I have observed to be subject to what is called mus- 

 cardine, a name, given I suspect, to cloak our ignorance. Wbat is muscardineP 

 The larvae, which feeds, I think, exclusively on oak, attains a large size, and 

 before entering the earth assumes a much darker appearance. There is, I 

 believe, no question as to its being only single-brooded. 



. N.B. — The larva of this insect is taken sparingly in this neighbourhood. 

 I have never found the pupa by digging. I bred it, in my study, in 1857, 

 between March 29th. and May 13th. "Muscardine" is probably a corruption 

 of "Muerdines" — the small Hyphomyertons Fungi which form moulds and 

 mildews. (B.) 



I have several times dug up the pupa under oak, but have never taken 

 either the larva or the perfect insect since my residence in Suffolk. I have 



