ON SOME LEPIDOPTEROUS LARV^. 85 



Examining the matter more closely, we find that the larvae 

 thus protected are almost invariably of bright or conspicuous 

 colour, and usually careless to conceal themselves, often 

 feeding quite exposed, and presenting a striking appear- 

 ance. Examination has shown that these bright colours 

 are generally arranged in certain prevailing patterns. Thus 

 we have black and white, or black and yellow rings, or 

 longitudinal stripes of black, orange, or red. In fact, if we 

 meet with a caterpillar largely partaking of these colours, or 

 with its coloration arranged in rings or stripes, we may at 

 once, with a great degree of probability, put it down as dis- 

 tasteful, whilst larva of green or brown hue, and protectively 

 marked, is usually edible. As instances of this style of 

 warning colour we may mention the common larva of the 

 Currant Moth {A. grossulariata)^ the Cinnabar larva 

 {Euchelia jacobcea), with its black and orange rings, which 

 we find feeding, without any attempt at concealment, on 

 ragwort or groundsel at the beginning of August ; the 

 common Buff-tip {Pygcera bucephala), which we meet with 

 in large colonies on lime or birch, or some of our other large 

 trees, with its yellow colour marked with black ; also the 

 common large white butterfly (P. hrassicce) of our kitchen 

 garden. Abroad we have the highly distasteful Danais 

 Chrysippus, yellowish white with narrow black stripes, 

 and with six spiny processes on its third, sixth, and twelfth 

 segments. And in the same category come that exceedingly 

 handsome caterpillar, the Deilepliila eiiphorbiai (the Spurge- 

 hawk Moth), Deilepliila galii and cliamoeiierii^ Arete 

 jwlygraphica, Polytera gloriosa, and many other exotic 

 species ; also at home our Mullein Shark Moth {Cucullia 

 verbasci), Cucullia lychnitis, the Sword-grass Moth {Calo- 

 carnpa vetusta), and the beautiful larva of the Brown 

 Moth {Hadeni pisi). In this last species a few individuals 



