NOTES ON HEMITHEA .ESTIVARIA, HB. 279 



and has the appearance of a large eye. I have drawn the 1st abdo- 

 minal segment, as usual, to a larger scale (pi. ix., fig. iii), from which 

 a general idea of the arrangements may be gathered. I have blackened 

 all the balloon organs in most of my drawings for the sake of clear- 

 ness, but, I fear, at the sacrifice of truth. 



There is a considerable change in the appearance of our larva at the 

 next stage (pi. ix., fig. iv). My specimen measures 3-6mm. in length by 

 0-3mm. in width, and has greatly changed its adornments. The two 

 projecting hairs on the 1st thoracic are still in position, but appear 

 stouter in proportion to their length (k). The arrangements of the 

 other thoracic segments are much as before, the spiracle on the first 

 being very obvious, and apparently protruding considerably (j). For 

 the whole length of the body the lateral flange is still well-developed, 

 but has taken a position more parallel to the length. There are now 

 no considerable breaks, and it has become difficult to distinguish the 

 segmental divisions. On the abdominals the hairs have altered their 

 character, those directed towards the head being what may be called 

 crocus-flower shaped (?'), rather than T-shaped, as before, while the 

 hinder ones appear very short and almost heart-shaped (It). 



Above the lateral flange, and running from the 3rd thoracic 

 segment to the 8th abdominal, there are now, on what may perhaps 

 be called the margin of the dorsal area, and also upon the lateral 

 flange, two bands of those curious white objects, (k) which may be 

 spicules, but are more probably concretions of uric acid, which we are 

 told takes so much part in the final pigmentation of the imagines, 

 amongst lepidoptera. The evident effect of these objects is to produce 

 the light belts or bands along the body, which are very observable 

 with a pocket-lens, on larvse at this stage. Whether all lines and belts 

 among larvas are thus produced I cannot say, but I think not. We 

 have noticed these objects before, in the case of G-eometra papilionaria, 

 but, in the larva under consideration, they appear to be much more 

 numerous, and certainly much more ornamental. I have tried to 

 emphasise these in my drawings, as white marks upon a dark ground, 

 but I hope it will be clearly understood that this representation is 

 (|uiit incorrect. These concretions are more or less pin -shaped, that is 

 to say they have generally a shaft, and a head. They are embedded in 

 the skin, and I do not think that, in any case, do the heads project. 

 From the 1st abdominal forwards I have relinquished the dark back- 

 ground, and it is possible that one has here a juster idea of their true 

 appearance. Compared with teeth, their positions are somewhat irregular, 

 and I think that they look under the microscope far more like old 

 tombstones on a moonlight night, for some have tumbled over, and 

 some appear to have been broken to pieces. The spiracles still pre- 

 serve their former positions, and all appear to project more or less. 

 The balloons are still in evidence, but have become increasingly 

 difficult to see and locate. I have indeed, spent hours trying to see 

 them without success, until I have hit upon the exacl angle of 

 illumination. It is still noticeable that the the most distinct of these, 

 is always that upon the highest point of the lateral flange, that this is 

 still more or less coloured, and thai it represents the special organ which 

 is so highly specialised in the larvae of Phorodesma smaragdaria, and 

 Comibaena pustulata for the purpose of securing the garment of fragments. 

 I had assured myself that the balloon upon the forward portion of each 



