THE HEATHER BEETLE 427 



bristle of a pale brown colour. The dark ruarkings are arranged as follows : — 

 Almost the whole upper surface of the segment immediately behind the head 

 (that bearing the first pair of legs) is covered by a dark patch, which extends 

 down each side to a level with the spiracles or breathing openings, and is divided 

 down the middle by a fine line of the pale ground colour. Between this patch 

 and the legs on either side is a small oblong dark patch two or three times as 

 long as broad. On each of the two succeeding segments are two linear trans- 

 verse dark marks, one anterior and the other posterior, and each divided in the 

 middle like the patch on the first thoracic segment. On each side, opposite the 

 extremities of each of these linear dorsal markings, is a more or less circular, 

 but small, patch, the anterior one in each segment being smaller than the 

 posterior ; below these, on each side, is a large dark patch of a kidney shape 

 with the concave side uppermost, and below this again two small marks on each 

 segment. On the dorsal surface of each of the succeeding segments are two 

 transverse linear markings, one longer at the anterior edge and the other shorter 

 and placed at the posterior edge. Between these and the spiracles are three 

 dark spots on each segment, one of which is anterior and in line with the longer 

 of the linear markings, and the other two posterior and opposite the shorter. 

 Below the spiracles a series of large more or less circular spots runs along the 

 side of the body. The head is black and shining, and hemispherical in profile ; 

 the legs black, with the basal joints marked with white. 



When the larva is about to pupate it crawls down to the ground and lies 

 amongst the moss and stems of the heather, at the same time curling itself up 

 into a sort of horse-shoe shape. The anterior half of the body becomes gradually 

 stouter, and the larva adopts the peculiar and interesting habit of suddenly 

 straightening itself and then reassuming the horse-shoe form. In course of time, 

 by this means, the skin of the dorsal surface of the three segments behind the 

 head splits, and the emergence of the pupa is gradually effected by wriggling. 

 This process, as I have observed it, in favourable circumstances may be accom- 

 plished in twenty minutes, but may also take an hour or even more. 



The pupa, when newly emerged, is of a creamy white colour throughout, with 

 the exception of the tiny bristles about to be mentioned, which are blackish. 

 The characteristic form of a Chrysomelid beetle is now distinctly traceable, while 

 the legs, wing-cases, antennae, and even mouth-parts can be recognised. Seen 

 from above, the hemispherical thorax (prothorax of the mature beetle) occupies 

 the most anterior portion of the body, and carries about a dozen tiny bristles. 



