304 LIST OF LEPIDOPTERA. 



tender leaves, spinning four or five of them together when young. It after- 

 wards conceals itself, eating only at night. It is a most voracious feeder. As 

 a rule, I should say it prefers sallow to willow; I have not met with it on 

 poplar. 



94. O. macilenta. — Twice met with in the pupa state at Brandeston, and 

 once at Playford. It is, I think, a rare insect in Suffolk. Freyer gives 

 beech, (Manual, p. 246,) as the food of the larva. I should say birch, my 

 pupa? being all found at the roots of that tree. 



N.B. — I never met with this insect in Suffolk, but have taken it at sugar 

 in Derbyshire and Hertfordshire, in October and November. It appears to 

 be uncertain in its appearance. In 1854 I took it in the utmost profusion 

 in the latter county, whilst the following autumn, though I sugared quite as 

 diligently, scarcely one was to be seen. I do not know the larva. (C.) 



95. A. rufina. — B-are. A few taken on nettles at Brandeston; among them 

 was one specimen nearly black. 



96. A. pistacina. — Common. 



N.B. — I took the larva of this insect in some plenty this year, (1858,) at 

 the end of May and beginning of June, by sweeping the mowing grass in 

 the meadows round Stowmarket. It closely resembles the larva of Hadena 

 oleracea, and is sometimes bright yellowish green, and at others reddish brown 

 with black spots. It feeds voraciously upon the leaves of the three common 

 Meadow Crowfeet, Ranunculus bulbosus, acris, and repens. It spins a very 

 tight, neat earthen cocoon, in which it remains some weeks bafore assuming 

 the pupa state. This cocoon when kept dry becomes exceedingly brittle. The 

 eggs which I have had are laid in the autumn, and hatched in the spring. 

 (C) 



97. A. litura. — Common. Frequently bred off willow. 



N.B. — I have very frequently beaten this larva from oak, and bred the 

 perfect insect. (C.) 



98. G. vaccinii. — Common. During a recent visit to Suffolk, I dug up three 

 pupae at the roots of an elm. I never met with it in that stage before. 



N.B. — I have bred both this and the following species from some dingy 

 dirty brown larvae, found feeding inside the catkins of sallow in May. I 

 have also bred the latter species from larvae beaten from white thorn. (C.) 



99. G. spadicea. — Common. 



100. S. satellitia. — Plentiful. The larva of this species is very singular in 

 its habits. I do not allude to its carnivorous 'propensities.' In this respect 

 unfortunately it is not singular. Sometimes, when young, it feeds on trees, 

 and afterwards on low-growing plants; at other times it appears to invert this 

 order of things. I found a number of them last spring about half an inch 

 long, feeding on the common primrose, but when placed in a box, containing 

 leaves of the wych-elm, they immediately forsook the former and devoted their 

 energies to the latter. Conceals itself during the day. 



N.B. — I shall not easily forget the feelings of delight with which I captured 

 my first beautiful black velvety larva of this moth, nor my eelings of disap- 

 pointment when the perfect insect appeared. It is one of the most beautiful 

 and uncommon-looking of all our British larva. (C. 



