THE GENUS ACRONYCTA AND ITS ALLIES. 81 



nance of the anterior trapezoidal tubercles is as fully pro- 

 nounced as in any other species of the section, presenting 

 themselves as two great dorsal bosses on each of the 5th to 

 I2th segments, and each carrying six hairs, the other tubercles 

 each carrying one, except the posterior trapezoidal, which has 

 a second short hair. They tend to be angular, as if fitted to 

 each other (as is really the case), as in the other species. The 

 2nd segment has a plate carrying long hairs, the dorsal 

 tubercle of the 3rd has three hairs, and of the 4th four. The 

 dark segments are rufous in colour, the nth is the palest of the 

 pale segments, the tubercles are only just less pronounce 1 

 than in the others. The darkest segments are 5, 8, g, and 12, 



After the first moult the larva may be easily distinguished 

 from its congeners ; it is hairy and looks black from the black 

 tubercles and hairs, but the skin tint is rufo-fuscous ; general 

 aspect cylindrical, with prominent tubercles and deep incisions. 

 There is a yellow line between the spiracles and the sub- 

 spiracular tubercles, the hinder part of the dorsum of the 3rd 

 segment is yellow, forming a transverse line. Each posterior 

 trapezoidal tubercle is enclosed in a whitish patch, which 

 reaches round to the front of the anterior trapezoidals. The 

 supra-spiracular tubercle is surrounded by a pale or white 

 circle, most distinct as a line above it, and on the paler seg- 

 ments 4, 6.7, 10 and II. The marginal tubercles also have 

 pale circles round them, and there are some other pale irregular 

 mottlings ; the anterior trapezoidal tubercles now have ten to 

 twelve hairs. 



After the second moult (in third skin), it is at first the same 

 as in the other species of Viininia, very black, from the crowd- 

 ing of the tubercles, but is distinguished by the orange line 

 across the 3rd segment, and the narrow lateral line ; but, as it 

 grows, the paleness of the dorsal area shows itself, being in 

 some specimens nearly white, the dark tubercles standing out 

 very conspicuously. The anterior trapezoidal tubercles are 

 very large, the others smaller, and the posterior spiracular has 

 dwindled to a point much like the spiracle. The yellow lateral 

 line is now broad, and includes the subspiracular tubercle. 

 The white dorsal area consists essentially of white rings round 

 the trapezoidal and supra-spiracular tubercles ; the larvae differ 

 much in tint : in a few dark ones these rings have to be care- 

 fully looked for ; in others the whole back, or nearly so, is of 

 porcelain whiteness, and there are all intermediate varieties ; 

 the area between the trapezoidals on each segment, and the 



