160 THE entomologist's record. 



known ab. bipunctata. (2) Ab. wis)iiariensis, a form with the wings 

 largely suffused with black. (3) Ab. niip-ostriata with the interstices 

 between the nervures darkened in colour, the nervures remaining paler. 

 (4) Ab. uii/rocostatcnYith a black costa, the rest of the wings being normal. 

 The ab. nhjrostriata, however, seems to merge very much into the type, 

 in my opinion, it is doubtful whether this is really a variation or only a 

 well-marked extension of the typical form. The abs. niijroatriata and 

 ni(jrocostata are, however, extremely rare. The larvas of S. maritima 

 have also been found in the galleries of Nonaijria sjjan/anii and A^. 

 cannac which attack Ti/plta latifolia. It seems to me most probable 

 that they inhabit these galleries simply for the sake of devouring 

 the insects which use them as a hiding-place. — Ibid. 



Eggs of Lepidoptera. — Ayrotis ai/athina. — Of the usual Noctuid 

 form, i.e., flat base, micropyle at top, vertical ribbing, and general form 

 probably derived from a sphere, the sides are flattened, however, in 

 such a way as to make the egg conical, rounded off into the flat 

 base and with a flat top ; a vertical section would be almost an equi- 

 lateral triangle, with two lower angles rounded and the upper one cut 

 off rather more squarely ; height and width about -GOmm.; about 30-35 

 very pronounced ribs, diminishing in number upwards, more usually 

 by stopping short than by union, the flat micropylar top netted ; 

 secondary ribs cross directly from rib to rib, usually alternately with 

 those of next sulcus, but often in line with them ; colour dark leaden 

 (hatched next day) [Described September 18th, 1898] .— T. A. 

 Chapman. 



Ji>RACTICAL HINTS. 



Field Work for May. 



By J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 



1.- — The pupae of Thecla pruni can be found by careful searching 

 in May, on blackthorn, but the larvae are more readily beaten ; the 

 latter appear to hide during the day very successfully, assimilating to 

 the colour of the leaf and feeding and moving during the night. The 

 pupffi are generally attached to the front of a sloe leaf, distinctly 

 visible, forming, however, an excellent imitation of a bird's-dropping. 



2. — The ova of Callophri/n ruhi are laid in nature freely on the 

 upper side of a leaf of Heliantheinum nth/are in May, sometimes a stalk 

 or flower-bud is selected. Eggs are also laid on Gaiista, Spartiiim, 

 CijtisnH, Onobrj/chis, Vacciniiini. 



3. — In late May and early June the eggs of Melitaea aurinia are 

 always laid on the underside of a scabious leaf near the ground ; 

 they are laid in close batches, often a second upper layer on a lower 

 one and as many as 400 eggs in a batch. The larvae feed but little 

 after hatching, but hybernate small, leaving their hybernacula in 

 February and March, and sunning themselves and feeding as soon as 

 the weather is suitable. 



4. — The newly-hatched larva of Pi/rameis atalanta feeds at first 

 on the upperside of the nettle leaf on which the egg has been laid, but if 

 this has got a little hard it leaves it for a younger one higher up ; it 

 retreats into the hollow just over the stem, and spins a flat roof of 

 whitish web over its head, and under this it feeds, probably lacking 



