234 IMarcn, 



motionless, belly upwards on the muslin cover of tlie cage, a habit continued through 

 all stages of growth, the moulting included, a process which invariably occurred at 

 night, in that position, as proved by the cast skin next morning adhering to the 

 muslin with all the legs spi-ead out to their full extent. 



No doubt, in a state of nature, the larva passes the daylight in this quiescent 

 position, probably on the under surface of horizontal or sloping twigs or branches of 

 the oak, where it would be in shadow, and would assimilate wonderfully well to the 

 more or less lichen-covered surface on which it would be closely pressed, and would 

 be in a great measure safe from the prying eyes of birds, and, I may add, of ento- 

 mologists, for I remember no recorded instance of its having been found at large by 

 any who have collected in that favourite hunting ground, the New Forest. 



The newly-hatched larva was three-s'xteenths of an inch long, with largish head 

 and slender body, stoutest at the 9th and 10th segments, the first two pairs of ventral 

 legs quite rudimentary, the 3rd and 4tli pairs conspicuously developed, and also the 

 anal pair ; its mode of progression was precisely similar to that of a geometer ; the 

 colour of the head black, of the body a light drab, broadly banded with dark 

 brownish-grey across most of the segments, with fine pale double longitudinal lines 

 along the sides, and with two pairs of black dots and bristles on the back of each 

 segment: after the first moult, the dark bands disappeared, and the colouring was 

 light greenish-grey, the dorsal line showed as darker and then a lighter spear-shaped 

 mark on each segment ; the pale twin-like sub-dorsal lines still remained, and below 

 them a blackish blotch on the side of each segment : after the second moult, at the 

 end of a fortnight, the larva was five-eighths of an inch in length, and of stouter 

 character, having an elevated ridge on the back of the 9th and 12tli segments, the 

 anterior pairs of ventral legs now first in use for walking over the food by night ; the 

 colouring very lichenous in appearance, no lines on the sides, but large and con- 

 spicuous whitish blotches on the 5tli, and 8th, and 9th segments, the elevated ridge 

 darker grey than the rest : in another week, when the length of seven-eighths of an 

 inch was attained, a whitish narrow streak appeared over the crown of the head, and 

 the ridge on the 9th segment became black, the rest of the body light greenish-grey 

 with paler blotches as before ; on the 16th of May, one of the two larva fixed itself 

 for a moult, but died on the 19th, unable to complete the operation. Meanwhile, 

 the remaining larva throve well, and, by the 21st, had become one inch and three- 

 eighths in length, the growth being rapid now, the colouring much as before, very 

 lichenous in appearance : the last moult occurred during the night of the 23rd, and, 

 the next morning, I found it measure one inch and three-quarters in length, the 

 general colouring a rather greener-grey than at any previous stage, even the whitish 

 blotches were now faintly tinged with greenish-ochreous : on the 26th, it had reached 

 its full-growth, when I took its third portrait, and a full description which follows 

 presently ; on the 28th, it was shortening evidently, although continuing to feed at 

 night till the 30th, when it had decreased considerably, and was irritable at the 

 least disturbance, and on the 31st, it retired amidst some sprays of oak, and entered 

 a little way into some light soil beneath, where it formed a cocoon composed chiefly of 

 small particles of dry stalks and roots with peat earth, and Uned, as I afterwards 

 found, with coarse, whitish silk, disposed in very large meshes, yet smooth enough; the 

 upper surface being just level with the surrounding soil, and partly attached to a 

 stone I had placed there. The moth, a female, appeared on the 24th of July. 



