THE GENUS ACRONYCTA AND ITS ALLIES. 27 



orange red. The richness and continuity of the dorsal line 

 make the larva much more like full-grown psi than the larva 

 of psi itself is at this stage. There is also, most distinctly on 

 5, 6, 7, 8 and g, a diagonal white mark between the trape- 

 zoidals, and a pale mairk below the sub-spiracular tubercles, 

 and the side is more marbled than \n psi ; these marblings con- 

 sist, in a well marked specimen, of two short vertical white 

 marks behind, a spot above, and a patch in front of the sub- 

 spiracular tubercle. The sub-spiracular and marginal tubercles 

 are much less conspicuous and pronounced than in psi. 



In the 3rd skin, the larva is now very brilliant, the row of 

 white spots between the trapezoidals on 6 to 10, and the white 

 cross on 12, contrast with the rich orange of the dorsal band 

 and the black below, so as to give the effect of gems richly set. 



The 13th segment is entirely orange, the 5th has the anterior 

 trapezoidals united into a hump, and the 12th has its four 

 separate tubercles raised into a hump ; 14 is fuscous. White 

 spots also exist below the trapezoidals, that is below the chief 

 series (between trapezoidals) on 3, 4, 5, 11 and 12, but are 

 obscure in most individuals. The sub-spiracular tubercles 

 and those on 13 are orange, the rest are black, they carry 

 several long black hairs ; the post-spiracular is still distinct 

 with one hair. There are pale orange spots on either side 

 of the sub-spiracular tubercle. The " rumicis attitude " is 

 often assumed in an exaggerated manner, the head being 

 laid prone on the surface on which the larva rests, with the 

 jaws thrown forward and the 5th segment arched upwards and 

 raised off the surface. 



In the 4th skin, the markings are the same as in the 3rd, 

 but are fuller and more detailed. The hump on the 5th seg- 

 ment is large, surmounted by a rough (from short black hairs) 

 black cap, consisting of the fused anterior trapezoidal tubercles, 

 and with a tuft of white hairs behind it. The ground colour 

 is dark fuscous, dorsal band broad, orange, from 3rd to nth 

 segment, omitting 5th, continued as a white cross on 12, where 

 the four tubercles form a hump, but are not fused. There is a 

 distinct lateral line running through and including the sub- 

 spiracular tubercles, which, with the line, are orange, except 

 that those of 3 and 4, and also, but less markedly, of 2, are 

 almost red, as well as the 13th segment, which continues the 

 lateral line across the dorsum from one side to the other. The 

 head and 2nd segment are black, except a fine dorsal line 

 white (continuation of orange dorsal band) and the orange (or 



