PARTHENOGENETFC TENDENCY IN MELANOCERA MENIPPE. 279 



whei"e there should have been two lateral rows of tubercles 

 there was only one. The outer lateral surface of the fourth 

 right hand false foot was abnormally swollen and not marked 

 off from the body in the usual manner, and the normal 

 pigmented bar on the side of this foot was absent. 



Thus, this larva was asymmetrical, there being some 

 deficiency in pigmentation, especially on the right hand side, 

 and some deformity of the body on the same side. 



Comparison of Larvas. — It will be seen, however, that 

 the differences between this larva and a normal larva of 

 menippe do not appear to connect in any way the former 

 with the caterpillar of maia. 



The larvas of some of the Saturiiiid moths are wonderfully 

 alike at the first instar, but there are certain well-marked 

 differences between the young caterpillars of maia and 

 menippe. 



(1) In maia the general ground-colour is yellowish-brown, 

 with a wide hoop-like blackish band in the middle of the 

 segment. In menippe the general colour is reddish-brown, 

 with sometimes a faintly defined darker transverse band in 

 the middle of the segment. In the present offspring the 

 general coloration was like that of menippe, but it tended 

 to be somewhat paler. 



(2) In maia the tubercles on the body are bright yellow, 

 in menippe they are black. In the present offspring they 

 were mostly black, but three were pale and two were black at 

 the base and pale above. 



(3) In maia the hairs are yellow and translucent. In 

 menippe there is some variation in this matter, more usually 

 they are black, but some tend to be translucent and brown 

 particularly on and around the head. In the present offspring 

 a considerable number were translucent and light brown, 

 especially towards the apex of the hair. 



(4) In maia the median dorsal posterior raised area above 

 the anus carries large tubercles and a number of equidistant 

 small tubercles along the posterior margin ; these latter carry 

 ■one hair apiece. In menippe the area is relatively larger 



