170 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



plants dead, the plant was alive, and had three larvae on a bud just 

 showing itself, these had grown slightly, one rather more than the 

 others. At another place in the pot were three other larvae, fairly 

 close together, possessed, one supposes, with some hope that a bud 

 would come up at that place, though examination showed that the 

 hope was without foundation. 



These six larvae had, of course, been so hidden that I had passed 

 them over when clearing the pot of larvae at the end of March. The 

 points that strike one as interesting are that those larvae that were on 

 a living plant grew more or less till starvation set in, and tha.t then a 

 certain proportion, no doubt those that failed to obtain any of the 

 failing supplies, died, and not less those that had thriven and grown, 

 than those less forward. On the supposed dead plant there were, 

 however, six larvae, all alive and well, and a careful search failed to 

 discover a dead one. The three away from the newly-appearing shoot 

 were very small, smaller if anything than before hybernation, actually 

 2-8mm. long, and very slender, those on the, no doubt, quite recent 

 shoot were a little larger. 



It would, therefore, appear that, when all circumstances are favour- 

 able for renewed activity in the spring, if food is present, all goes well, 

 but if it is not, the larvae can prolong their winter activity without 

 serious damage for at least six weeks (no doubt allowance must be 

 made for the weather during much of the period not being of a forcing 

 character). But if they obtain food, and make more or less progress, 

 and are then starved, they die within the total period of six weeks, 

 which has been comparatively harmless to their apparently more ill- 

 used brethren who have had no food at all. 



I ought to state that the two pots were out-of-doors, exposed to the 

 same weather together. 



Fredericina calodactyla (zetterstedtii). 



By T. a. chapman, M.D. 



Mr. Goodwin's notes on this species in Ent. Beconl, vol, xxi., 1909, 

 p. 205, interested me very much, and I am indebted to him for the 

 opportunity of verifying the point that seemed of most importance, 

 viz., the habit of the pupa of leaving its puparium for emergence. 

 I was not only able to verify this, but to note that the pupa emerged 

 in this way, and again retreated if disturbed, for at least some days 

 before emergence. I further found that the emergence of the pupa to 

 a dangerous or inconvenient extent is checked by a cremastral silken 

 cable. The length of freedom allowed being approximately the length 

 of the pupa. 



My notes are that on May 23rd, 1910, Mr. E . Goodwin, of Canon Court, 

 sent me some material of F. calodactyla {zetterstedtii). One of the larvae, 

 in its burrow in the heart of the growing stem (or almost rootstock) 

 of Solidayo, was laid up for its moult to pupa, which occurred a day or 

 two after. Looking at it frequently, I noticed nothing particular in 

 connection with it till June 2nd, when I observed the pupa well above 

 its usual level in its burrow or cocoon, it might almost be called pro- 

 jecting ; looking more carefully, I very shortly shook or otherwise 

 disturbed it, when it at once retreated to its usual position, doing so 

 quickly and actively, and making some active movements when I so 



