IS76.] li 



SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES ON THE LARVA, &c., OF APATUEA IRIS. 

 U T W. BUCKLER. 



In the 4th volume of this Magazine, at pages 85 to 87, is a de- 

 scription of the full-grown larva of this species, which I now propose 

 to supplement with a further account ab ovo. 



For the eggs, I have been indebted to the kindness of Mr. W. H. 

 Harwood, of Colchester, and Mr. E. P. Bisshopp, of Ipswich, viz., a 

 single e^g from the former, received the 31st of last July, laid within the 

 three or four previous days on the upper-side of a leaf of Salix cajprcea ; 

 and from the last named on the 1st of August, four eggs, laid July 29th 

 on pieces of paper. 



The Qgg, as may be supposed, is of a good size, its shape cylindrical, 

 of about equal height and diameter, adhesively fixed in an upright 

 position on its flat base, domed on the top, its surface strongly ribbed, 

 the ribs varying in number from twelve to fourteen. All the eggs 

 were alike in colour when I first received them, viz., of a yellowish 

 oHve-green, having near the base a zone of purplish-black, the green 

 portion semi-translucent, the surface glistening ; those laid on the 

 paper began to change on the 4th of August, by displacement of the 

 black zone and the appearance of a blackish spot within the centre ; 

 on the 5th, the whole top grew at first cloudy, then blackish, the lower 

 part paler green than before, this, on the 6th, became still paler, and 

 the ribs whitish, and on that day, about 7 o'clock in the evening, three 

 eggs hatched, and the fourth at 10 o'clock. The egg from Col- 

 Chester hatched three days later, after previously passing through 

 similar changes. 



When just hatched, the larva has a large rounded head, and two 

 distinctly separated anal points ; its colour light dirty greenish-yellow, 

 with three faintly darker lines down the back, the head dark chocolate- 

 brown. 



The next day after hatching, each larva was resting on the tip of a 

 leaf ; each leaf thus tenanted showed that, at a little distance below the 

 larva, a small portion had been eaten from its edge on one side, q^ulte 

 tliroufjh the whole substance ; the larvae were now just one-eighth of an 

 inch long, and on their rough granulous heads could be seen, with the 

 aid of a lens, two large, somewhat bright, oval, smooth patches of 

 paler colour, each with a central dark spot occupying the crown of 

 the lobes, the body light yellowish-green, faintly showing a darker 

 dorsal line and slanting side streaks. 



