184< i^Junuary, 



Vaccinium myrtillus was not touched, and seeing that Saxifraga hypnoides was 

 more eaten than anytliing else, on August 29th I planted some of it in a flower-pot, 

 and turned the larvee (which had scarcely grown, though one had moulted since I 

 had them) out upon it. I fear, however, that this substitute food, as it now proves, 

 did not sustain them long, for I have never been able to see them, or any trace of 

 their having been feeding, again. 



I find I noted the young larvse as being of a dingy olive-brown, and looking 

 somewhat like an Agrotis, but not so translucent, with head and plate on second 

 segment shining black, the usual warts distinct, black, and furnished each with a 

 short stiff bristle. The one that moulted became of a warm dark velvety-brown, 

 with paler lines. — John Hellins, Exeter : December Wth, 1876. 



Notes on ISpunda lutulenta, and description of the larva. — Mr. Porritt is correct 

 in supposing his description of the larva of E. lutulenta to be unsatisfactory, as the 

 principal character does not appear until the last moult has taken place. 



The imago is tolerably common in this district, appearing in September, and is 

 usually captured at sugar and ivy bloom. The $ lays over 100 ova, which hatch, 

 about four weeks after deposition, and tlie larvoe, when young, feed on grasses, and 

 do not seem to restrict themselves to any particular species, at least in confinement. 



At first they devour the cuticle only, both upper and under sides, leaving the 

 central membrane imtouched. After changing their first skin, they are bright pale 

 uniform green, with a broad conspicuously white spiracular band. In repose, they 

 rest with the anterior segments raised and arched like many Geometrce, and at this 

 stage are rather sensitive, dropping at once to the ground if disturbed. 



My larvae have been subjected to various conditions of temperature, but they 

 always appeared perfectly hardy ; and those kept indoors in a room with a fire did 

 not materially outstrip in size those exposed to all the vicissitudes of the weather 

 out of doors, where their cage was frequently buried beneath several inches of snow. 

 A warm night, even in mid-winter, invariably brought them up to feed. 



As the spring advanced, and the larvoe increased in size, they were not so par- 

 ticular in their diet, and I have observed them feeding (besides grasses) on plantain, 

 Matricaria, marigold, chickweed, groundsel, dock, and the unexpanded flower buds of 

 the blackthorn ; the last named and dock are, however, their especial favourites. 

 As the larva has been taken at large by my friend Mr. B. Bower feeding at night on 

 the blacktliorn buds, it is probable that they follow the habits of many Noctum, of 

 which the genera TryphcBna, Aplecta, and Noctua afford well-known examples. 



In May they arr.'ve at maturity, but before this period, the conspicuous white 

 spiracular band has lost much of its brightness ; this is, however, resumed after the 

 last moult, when the violet characteristic edging is first distinctly visible. 



I append a description, taken from a brood of over fifty individuals, among 

 which I only noticed the variation recorded below : — • 



Eather elongate, cylindrical, velvety ; head romided ; bright apple-green, mi- 

 nutely irrorated with grey ; a grey dorsal shade, very frequently forming blackish 

 dots at the incisions ; sub-dorsal line whitish, distinct ; a broad yellowish or greenish- 

 white spiracular band, its upper and lower margins pure white, the former edged tvith 

 a violet line Joining the lohite spiracles ; belly slightly paler than the ground colour ; 

 legs and prolegs tinged with purplish ; head of the ground colour, hardly shining ; 

 mouth black. • 



