264 THE entomologist's record. 



slit and narrow shiny-black edges distinctly raised. The large 

 one on 8th abdominal segment is more oval in outline. Just 

 above the base of the claspers is a rather isolated chocolate line. 

 The ventral surface is greyish-white. Claspers whitish, but with an 

 outer shield or plate of shiny black, bearing hairs. True legs black, 

 shiny. 



On January 24th, many larvae have left the leaves and are preparing 

 for the fourth moult on the sides of the tin. Their length when lying 

 up at the end of fourth stage is from 9'5mm. to ll-5mm. First larva 

 entered fifth stage January 26th. Six had entered it by the evening 

 of January 27th. 



F if tit instar: February 7th. — I have only twelve larv« left now, a 

 great mortality having occurred just after the fourth moult. I am 

 afraid this was due to my inability to change their food often enough. 

 I have not been able yet to put them on growing plants in the fresh 

 air, where, without doubt, they would do well. They are still kept in 

 tins. I air them twice or three times a day, and give them fresh food 

 every two days. Two are already lying up for the fifth moult. 

 They now prefer the large leaves of the groundsel to small freshly 

 grown ones at the head of the plant, and they eat the leaves inwards 

 from the edge, rarely feeding merely on the cuticle as they have up to 

 this stage. The length, when at rest at the end of fifth stage, is 

 13-5mm., and the larva is rather stout. Appearance to naked eye: 

 Head, shiny, black in front. Each lobe has a pale brownish patch at 

 the back, extending some distance on the side. Colour of body, dark 

 smoky-grey ; dorsal line very narrow, but clearly cut and distinct in 

 most specimens. It is yellowish -white. Dorsal area bordering this line is 

 of a dull chocolate colour. Tubercles ii (the large posterior trape- 

 zoidals) and iii are set in a patch of black, occupying nearly the whole 

 length of each segment and giving an idea of a broad black subdorsal 

 line. Below this is a broad lateral area of dull chocolate-grey. In some 

 specimens is a distinct yellowish- white lateral line (bordering), specially 

 well marked on the abdominal segments, but in most specimens this 

 line is in abeyance. Ventral surface dark grey. Claspers much lighter 

 True legs black, shiny. The l&vvve are more or less thickly covered with 

 stiffish golden-brown hairs mixed with fewer long black ones. As 

 usual the long black hairs are more numerous on the last two segments. 

 The brown hairs are thickest on tubercle i, and on the inner sides 

 of tubercle ii, and again on the tubercles of the lateral border. 

 The tubercles under the microscope look like nothing so much as 

 long-spiked sea-urchins. The stiffish golden-brown hairs from each 

 one are very numerous, the longer, black ones, much less so. The pro- 

 thoracic plate is also very thickly studded with hairs. 



The 5th moult appeared to be a difficult operation to my larvae. The 

 lying-up period for it occupied five days. The neck between the head and 

 the prothorax shows white, and is much swollen at this time. The larvae 

 spin very little silk to hold on to when moulting. Consequently they easily 

 fall from the places they have chosen for lying up. This is bad for 

 them, as they then have no purchase and cannot easily get rid of 

 their skins. Some of them died in the attempt, and others dried up 

 shortly afterwards, although they had made a good job of the moult 

 itself. The first larva passed the 5th moult entering the 6th stage on 

 Febuary 10th. It lived, but three more which moulted on the 11th died, 



