NOTES ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF AGLIA TAU. 



257 



and only just above the village, Sciaj)/ii[a anientana occurred in 

 these places. I have not noticed that Tana(jra chaerophi/llata 

 was just appearino- in great numbers. It seems impossible to 

 bring this insect home alive in perfect condition, they scratch and wear 

 almost directly. High up, too, one sunny afternoon, August 10th, I 

 saw Adscita statices, in a pasture, and brought home for identification 

 a couple, since at Courmayeur, at the same elevation, one only gets A. 

 i/erydu, but these latter are on the rocky slopes and not in alpine fields. 

 These examples, however, were quite normal male A. statirex. Pi/rausta 

 purpKralis, and Diasevim literalis, were found up to about 4500ft., 

 whilst Herhula ccyntalis was in great numbers in the fields, Botys 

 rerticaiis, too, among the stinging nettles. Botys phryyialix was of 

 course present above a certain altitude, and Crambiis pcrlclliis took the 

 liarrinytonelliis form at the higher levels. Nomopliila noctiidla 

 (hybridal is) was locally abundant, as also was Serimris cespitana, and 

 Ortlwtaeiiia striana, too, was occasionally noticed. Hypcna prohoscidaiis 

 came into the room to light, but very few species seemed to be thus 

 attracted. 



Altogether the list is a short and unimportant one, but as, little by 

 little, British entomologists are covering the European continent with 

 their explorations, and are gradually collecting absolutely reliable 

 data as to the distribution of the European butterflies, there can be no 

 question of the value of publishing those lists that exhibit our failures 

 as well as those that set forth our successes. 



Notes on the life^history of Aglia tau. 



By .UlTHUR W. BACOT, F.E.S. 



(Continued from p. 239.) 



JjARVA IN 2nd STADIUM. — A wcll-grown larva in this stage is getting 

 very adult-like save for the huge spines or horns. It has the over- 

 hanging prothorax very marked, and a bright cream-coloured lateral band 

 runs right along the larva from base of prothoracic horns to base of anal 

 horn. The division of segments is very marked especially on dorsal area, 

 where each segment rises into an angular transverse mound, giving a 

 lateral or outline view as of the teeth of a saw, each tooth being a segment 

 (very similar to the appearance seen in a side view of the larva of 

 Theda ir-album). The tubercles, including horns, as in first stadium, 

 but proportionately much smaller and less developed, showing a tendency 

 to atrophy, chiefly noticeable in the shortening of the lateral branches 

 of the horns; their colours are also paler, the red being less deep and 

 the white bands not quite so brilliant. The area at base of horns on 

 metathorax is much swollen. A well marked, but not very large, lateral 

 flange is coincident with the lateral bandfor the greater part of its length . 

 Numerous small (secondary) shagreen hairs are present, their bases being 

 yellow. Head is bright green, flattened, and of a low trapezoidal shape. 

 Resting habit. — The resting position is, as previously, on underside of 

 leaves, but the head is not thrown quite so far back when the "sphinx " 

 attitude is adopted. The legs are drawn up close to body. The pro- 

 thoracic horns are sloped forwai'd, those on the metathorax backward 

 at an acute angle. ThatonSth abdominal is almost perpendicular, and the 

 anal one almost horizontal. The angle of the thoracic horns is some- 

 limes so acute that the horns point backwai'd'; and forwards forming an 



