VOL. XIX. LONDON, APRIL, 1887. No. 4 



THE LARVA OF LIPHYRA BRASSOLIS PROBABLY 



APHIDIVOROUS. 



BY REV. W. J. HOLLAND, M. A., PH. D., PITTSBURGH, PA. 



Some two years ago I received from Rev. L. C. Biggs, H. B. M. Chap- 

 lain at Penang, a parcel of insects collected by Mr. F. G. Durnford in 

 Sungei-Ujong. Among diem was a specimen the envelope containing 

 which was labelled Charaxes Durjifordi^ n. sp. Mr. Biggs, in sending 

 the lot, called attention to this particular specimen in his note, saying : 

 " It looks as if it were covered with mildew, which Durnford assures me 

 is really fluff detached at the time of its capture." I did not examine the 

 specimen very particularly at the time of its receipt, except to note that 

 it was covered with a whitish mealy deposit, particularly thick upon the 

 abdomen, and that it was not a Charaxes. Some three months or more 

 ago I undertook the task of expanding this lot of insects and arranging 

 them for my cabinets. I found, as I was putting the envelopes into the 

 pans to relax them, several which contained specimens of a large " mealy 

 bug." These were laid aside. At last I came to the alleged " Charaxes 

 Dunifordi." What was my delight to find it to be a fine large female of 

 Liphyra brassolis, Westwood. I had just received from Mr. W. H. 

 Edwards a copy of his most interesting paper upon the habits of the larva 

 of our Feniseca Tarquinius, an insect revealing very close relationship to 

 the gigantic Liphyra, alike in the form of its wings, their neuration and 

 their color. The true explanation of the " fluff" or mealy deposit upon 

 the abdomen and lower side of the wings of the specimen instantly 

 flashed upon my mind. I hastily looked up the envelopes containing the 

 scale insects or " mealy bugs." A comparison beneath the microscope 

 of the white particles clinging to the abdomen and lodged upon the wings 

 of the Liphyra, with the mealy covering of the shield lice preserved in 

 the envelopes, revealed their identity. I mentally put the two things 

 together and conclude : 



