AN OUTLINE OF BRITISH CATERPILLARS. 287 



tinctly bifid ; and the abdomen more convex. Perfect Insect dis- 

 closed in eighteen days, or later, according to the peculiarity of site. 

 Vanessa Atalanta, Boisduval, NymphalideSj pi. ii. ; Donovan, 

 V. viii., pi. 260 : — Caterpillar : thick, shortened ; ordinarily of a 

 dull yellowish- grey, above ; with a sinuous, sulphur-yellow, lateral 

 streak placed below the stigmata. Each ring, except the first two, 

 bearing seven shortish, circularly ranged, yellow or reddish-yellow, 

 branched spines : those of the more anterior rings usually blackish 

 at the extremity. Head black, rugose, slightly hollowed out above. 

 Body, below, yellowish-grey or blackish ; membranous feet violet ; 

 tlie scaly feet, and stigmata, black. This caterpillar exhibits almost 

 countless diversities of colour. The most common variety is violet- 

 black, sprinkled with whitish points : spines, pale-yellow, and 

 slightly ferrugineous at the base. Dorsal streak, of deeper colour 

 than ordinary : the lateral, rather broad, and pale-yellow. Below, 

 violet-black, with paler membranous feet. At an early age, body, 

 and most of the spines, blackish : yellow streak, broken ; and supe- 

 rior part of first ring, sometimes yellowish. It lives, in Europe, 

 upon Urtica dioicaj urens, and pilulifera, almost solitarily : and 

 conceals itself in one or more leaves of the plant, which it unites by 

 the aid of silken threads. Hence, difficult of discovery by persons 

 unacquainted with its peculiar habits. The leaves of the nettle, 

 thus sewed together, may readily be mistaken for the work of an 

 Aranea or Botys. In a short time, having attained the full size, 

 the Caterpillar quits its place of concealment; and attaches itself to 

 the cornice of a wall, or the trunk of a tree, to assume the chrysalid 

 state. Sometimes, however, it undergoes this metamorphosis within 

 the leaf by which it has been previously sheltered. Most commonly, 

 found from August to the commencement of October. 



The Chrysalis is large, somewhat shortened in figure, and less 

 angular than that of its congeners. Colour, grey tinged with 

 white, or pale violet-grey, with a few golden spots. " The perfect 

 Insect is evolved in from twelve to fifteen days. 



P. 



Birmingham, December 12/A, 1835. 



[The caterpillars of some other genus, or genera, of British Lepidoptera 

 will be examined in our next Number.] 



