( 105 ) 



place. As the skin whitens, and nbont the second, or eaidy on the third day, it bursts 

 underneath, but is not thrown off for some time, the period depending greatly 

 upon the host, which, if lively and inclined to hop, or open and close its wings 

 freely, may loosen it and cause it to iall after the third or fourth day, but it, 

 may remain attached to the larva's back for a week. As the old skin bursts, and is 

 forced outwards and upwards, only a portion of the new one can at first be seen, 

 but that which is exposed is perfectly naked, and the colour is temporarily darker; 

 the whole new sMu is at this time hare, for I have lifted the old one to make 

 sure, and, as the old one comes away at the sides, in the course of a few hours 

 the gradual whitening process is repeated, this time, however, developing into 

 the unique and dense coating. It is impossible to ascertain how long this is in 

 forming, once it becomes quite white, but it evidently takes several days, for by 

 then the larva appears to have doubled its size. During this development the 

 old skin is slowly pushed and folded up along the sides, bnt it retains its shape 

 above, and comes away when the new covering admits of its being dispensed with. 

 This extraordinary growth is doubtless intended for various protective purposes, 

 several of which I may suggest, as follows : as the naked larva, secure under 

 the ample and close-fittiug wings of the host, increases in growth, it would 

 probably open the protecting wings a little, and thus be rendered liable to the 

 attentions of ichneumons, so though the waxy growth opens the wings, in some 

 cases considerably, before they are actually apart, the coating has become suffici- 

 ently dense to eft'ectually shield the larva from those insects ; being a soft little 

 thing, it may require some protection from the wing pressure, which the covering 

 aftbrds ; further, it keeps the larva dry in all weathers, assists to whiten the 

 cocoon and render it waterproof, and gives it, when parted from the host, the 

 appearance when moving of a mealy bag, or when still of a waxy scale. Upon 

 removing and examining some of this waxy coating it is found to compare with 

 that borne by various species of Ftilyoridae, and with which several of them 

 cover their ova deposits; if touched with a pointed instrument it comes away in 

 little tufts ; these viewed tlirough a lens prove to be comjiosed of numbers of 

 delicately thin, short, and glistening white hairs, which, rubbed between tlie 

 fingers, leave the merest trace of white — are almost rubbed out of existence. 



" A blade of grass, a thin twig, or a leaf, may be selected to spin the cocoon 

 upon ; the larva could drop there by a thread ; however, the overloaded host is 

 often in the grass, — perhaps tumbles there in essaying a leap. So the larva spins 

 upon whatever it may drop or crawl on to. It is very sluggish, and not meant 

 for much wandering, a distance of several inches being the usual extent of its 

 journeys ; it often remains for hours in the one spot. Many times I have dis- 

 turbed a larva when in the act of spinning, causing it to cease instantly, work 

 in some cases not being resumed for a few (up to fifteen) hours ; only lately a 

 large larva which, through being shaken, ceased spinning late one afternoon, when 

 the sides and ends only of the cocoon were finished, did uot resume operations 

 until 11 a.m. next day ; these long stoppages have invariably included all the 

 hours of night. 



" The cocoon is a pretty and neat little object, which requires the powerful 

 glasses, and the pen, of the advanced entomologist to view and describe it and 

 its construction in a satisfactory manner ; however, I shall attempt the task. It 

 may pass equally well for a waxy scale, a mealy bug, or a little flower ; j)erhaps 

 it is best compared to a flower, for the ornamentation certainly suggests one, 



