CoLENSO. — On Pyrameis gonerilla. 199 



foliaged in early spring. I may also mention that, though the 

 plant was said to be well known in that locality, I only met 

 wdth it in one other spot, and that a single small specimen. 



Seeing that the larvae in their purely natural state always 

 either suspend themselves to a twig or enwrap themselves in 

 a leaf of the Urtica, it seemed strange that in no case did one 

 of them so suspend itself to a stem in the bottle, but only and 

 always to the cork (of course there were no leaves left). "Was 

 this done on account of more moving air there through, the 

 holes — such being requisite to dry their wings quickly when 

 emerging — or to be in a position of more free space ? 



As I suppose both larva and pupa of tliis butterfly to be, 

 like the perfect insect, well known, I do not attempt to 

 describe them. The larva is a curious-looking object, from its 

 being so very hairy; the hairs, too, are rather long, rigid, 

 patent, dark-coloured, and produced in little bunches of 

 irregular lengths. 



Notwithstanding my partial failure in the rearing of them, 

 a few plain facts in the natural economy of this butterfly seem 

 to be substantiated : (1) That its larvae feed on the leaves of 

 Urtica. ?pu7igens, Col., and are very voracious ; (2) that on 

 their entering into the chi-ysalis state they wrap themselves 

 loosely in a leaf of the same plant, to which they are also 

 fastened, or suspend beneath a leaf from its petiole or 

 branchlet ; (3) that the time occupied by the embryo insect 

 in its clirysalis state is more than three weeks ; (4) and that 

 if it has not ample room for unfolding its wings on emerging 

 from the chrysalis state they become stunted and useless, and 

 then of course the insect is destitute of flight. 



Addendum. 

 I may here mention a similar case, as to contraction of 

 wings under similar circumstances, that occurred a few years 

 ago. In 1884, in a case of apples received from America 

 ('? California), I found a tine butterfly; one quite as large as 

 cxir New Zealand Pyrameis gonerilla, if not much larger. It 

 was but recently dead, and had e\'idently died in the case 

 during the voyage ; both of its wings were much crumpled and 

 contracted, and its back chafed. Its prevailing colours were 

 yellow and black (bluish-black) in broad streaks, the body the 

 same, with broad yellow longitudinal stripes ; very hairy at 

 edges of wings in some parts; hairs long, yellow; and two large 

 red spots on the wings ; antennae very dark, slender, naked ; 

 tips slightly clubbed ; eyes very large and prominent. Being 

 much crumpled, an only specimen, and tender, I only give its 

 more striking aspect, as it requires to be softened and care- 

 fully laid out, before a strictly accurate description could be 

 given. It is wholly unknown to me. 



