VOL. XXI. LONDON, MARCH, 1889. No. 3. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PREPARATORY STAGES OF 

 COLIAS MEADii, Edwards. 



BY W. H. EDWARDS, COALBURGH, W. VA. 



Egg. — Fusiform, thick in the middle, tapering to a small rounded 

 summit, the base" small, flat ; ribbed longitudinally after the manner of 

 the genus ; colour yellow-green. Duration of this stage four to five days. 



Young Larva. — Length, at 24 hours from egg, .06 inch; cylindrical, 

 even ; colour brown-green ; thickly covered with black points, from each 

 of which a short fine hair ; head rounded, blackish-brown. Duration of 

 this stage five days. 



After First Moult. — Length at 12 hours .11 inch ; colour dull brown- 

 green ; the ridges thickly set with black points, each with short grey hair ; 

 head brown-yellow. To next moult six days. 



After Second Moult. — Length at 1 2 hours .16 inch ; colour dark green, 

 covered with yellow points so thickly as to give a yellow hue to the 

 whole surface, each point with hair ; a mid-dorsal dark stripe ; a faint 

 indication of a yellow sub-dorsal line ; so also of a basal stripe ; head 

 green-brown with many fine tubercles and hairs. To next moult about 

 six days. 



After Third Moult. — Length at 12 hours, .22 inch ; along the under- 

 side of the indistinct sub-dorsal yellow line is an ill-defined row of black 

 spots, one to each segment from 3 to 11; the basal ridge yellowish, but 

 not yet showing a clear band. Later in the stage the black spots show 

 clearly, those on 3 and 4 largest, the rest diminishing regularly to a very 

 small one on 11; head as before. To next moult five to seven days 



After Fourth Moult. — Length at 6 hours .46 inch; at 24 hours 

 .52 inch. 



Mature Larva. — Length .7 inch; cylindrical; nearly even; on the 

 flattened ridges are many points, each giving a short black hair ; colour 



