LIST OP LEPIDOPTERA. 257 



31. M. artemis. — Taken by Mr. Arthur Simpson, close to my grounds 

 at Stowmarket, in May, 1857. (B.) 



32. A. lucina. — In various woods; not very common. (B.) 



33. Thecla Betulce. — Taken by Miss Berners, in woods near Ipswich. (B.) 



34. T. pruni. — I once captured a wasted $ of this rare species at 

 Brandeston. It was hovering over some blackthorn, doubtless with the 

 intention of laying its eggs. I fully expected to meet with it the following 

 summer, but unfortunately I had to change my residence before the period 

 of its appearance in the perfect state, and though I carefully searchedj^for 

 it at Playford, where its food abounded, I was not fortunate enough to 

 see it again. 



35. T. W-album. — In great profusion in the larva state. The description 

 of the larva given in the "Manual" is correct, with the exception of calling 

 it light green; it is rather a pale primrose. When the seeds of the wych 

 elm are nearly ripe, it is fully grown. Take an open umbrella, and place 

 it on the ground; then grasp a branch, thrash it ivell over the umbrella, 

 and, if the insect occur in the same plenty as at Playford, you will rarely 

 fail to find from three to as many as ten larvae. I became quite tired 

 of taking them. They are extremely voracious. The larva, when free, 

 turns to a pupa on the under side of the leaves, and a quick eye may 

 detect them by dozens. I need scarcely remark that, in common with the 

 rest of this genus, it is very difficult to capture in good condition when 

 on the wing, and, even when bred, the slightest touch is sufficient to 

 injure irreparably its rich black satiny gloss. It soon fades. I may add 

 that it does not seem much exposed to the attacks of Ichneumons, as out 

 of upwards of one hundred larvae I did not find one stung. 



N.B. — The larva of this insect entirely changes colour a day or two 

 before spinning up. It loses its beautiful primrose colour, and becomes 

 reddish brown. Out of between sixty and seventy larvae and pupas which 

 1 took this summer, about twenty were infested by a white fleshy maggot, 

 which produced a species of Diptera. (C.) 



36. T. quercus. — Also common, and apparently distributed over the whole 

 county. I bred very large and brilliant specimens from larvae beaten off 

 oaks at the end of June. 



N.B. — The larva of this species, when ready to assume the pupa state, 

 descends the trunk of the tree, and spins a slight web among the roots of 

 the grass. (C) 



37. T. rubi. — Very abundant. Whether this insect be double-brooded, in 

 the strict sense of the term, I am unable to say, but I am disposed to think 

 it is. The autumn brood, however, if it be one, seems to be much smaller 

 than that of the summer. From the above it will be seen that the whole of 

 the genus Thecla, excepting Betulce, has fallen under my own notice in Suffolk. 



