60 THE entomologist's record. 



finally, however, spun, but died without changing. The first moth 

 emerged March 2nd ( ? ), the second March 4th ( ? ), and the others ( ^J 

 and $ ) a few days later. The treatment by which this fairly successful 

 result was attained was quite artificial. The larvse were throughout 

 kept indoors in glass jars and fed on Poa amitia, which was changed 

 every second day until the larvae became sluggish in December and 

 January, when it lasted about a week ; but throughout, the larvee were 

 regularly disturbed, and not allowed to rest for hybernation or other- 

 wise. When they reached the fourth skin each larva had a separate 

 glass, small, less than three inches high and two in diameter, covered 

 by a glass plate ; this kept the food fresh, whilst undue moisture was 

 prevented by half an inch of clean dry sawdust at the bottom, changed 

 with the food, and a sheet of blotting-paper under the glass cover, this 

 also dried at each change of food. The larvae usually hid themselves 

 in the sawdust during the dayj they often made therein a smooth 

 cocoon-like cavity, but without using any silk. I find that I rarely fail 

 to rear anything to which I pay sufficient attention and individualise 

 each larva in this manner. Dampness, stale food, and crowding are 

 the great enemies of success in rearing larvae in captivity, and they all 

 result from trying to do more than the time and attention available 

 justify. The full-grown larva has at first blush a very Agrotid appear- 

 ance. It varies from a nearly uniform nankeen-yellow with markings 

 only indicated, to a handsome larva with distinct black stripes. There 

 is a pale dorsal line, quite narrow ; thence to the spiracles (which are 

 black) is divided into three longitudinal stripes, a dark dorsal one, 

 a dark (but less dark) lower one, and a pale intermediate one. In all 

 these the ground colour is the same nankeen-yellow, and the darker 

 areas depend on the greater or less darkness (and abundance ?) of fine 

 black mottlings, generally in fine wavy streaks running more or less 

 longitudinally. The dorsal dark band is darker on each of itfe margins, 

 and each margin is darker towards the incisions ; the pale band is some- 

 what darker centrally, whilst the lower band again is darker marginally 

 and towards the incisions, but only to a degree that requires looking 

 for, instead of being obvious as in the dorsal dark band. The spira- 

 cular region is paler, almost amounting to a pale spiracular stripe, and 

 the lower surface is nankeen-yellow, with a slight fuscous tendency. 

 The second segment is of a more uniform tint, and the pale dorsal line 

 extends distinctly through it and on to the head, which is rather brown 

 than yellow, mottled in a honeycombed pattern, there is also some black 

 marking about labrum and jaws. In some lights the whole larva has a 

 pearly lustre, or perhaps a bloom like that on a plum, would best express 

 the effect. Each segment is divided into four (or five) subsegments by 

 transverse incisions. The ordinary tubercles are marked by very fine, 

 nearly transparent, brown bristles, of which there are also some on the 

 head. The segments taper slightly towards the head, more rapidly (in 

 two or three segments) towards the anal extremity. The cocoon (made 

 in sawdust, only just under the surface, so that naturally I imagine it 

 gets under a dead leaf or piece of wood and does not bury itself in the 

 soil) is made with sufficient silk to give it a firm and coherent structure. 

 The chrysalis has much the colour, size, and general outline of that of 

 Acronyda aceris, but of course very different except as to broad effect. 

 The smallest pupa was 20 mm. long by 7 mm. wide, in front of 5th 



