SOCIETIES. 191 



picked the same day, and stated that he had seen some fresh male 

 catkins of sallow during the last fortnight. He also exhibited a series 

 oi Apamea ophiogramma from Stamford Hill, together with the pre- 

 served larvae, pupae, and cocoons, and read the following notes on the 

 life-history and habits of the species : — 



" Notes on Apamea ophiogramma. — During the summer of 1890, I 

 had the good fortune to take eight specimens of this somewhat rare 

 species in our garden at Stamford Hill. These were taken on dates 

 ranging from July 15th to August 5th, and were mostly worn. Another 

 specimen came into my hands which was taken at Southgate during 

 the last week in July. Hearing that the larvae fed on the striped 

 "ribbon grass" which is grown so extensively for ornamental purposes 

 in our London gardens, I repeatedly searched several patches to which 

 I had access. On May 22nd (1891), I noticed thai the top shoots in 

 several places were dying, and a further search revealed a small round 

 hole either at or below the level of the ground. By cutting off these 

 stems as low as possible, I obtained some larvae, of which the following 

 is a description. About one inch long, slender body, thickest at the 

 third segment, tapering rapidly towards the head, and very gradually 

 towards the anus. Head small, dark shining brown in colour. Dorsal 

 area, dirty flesh colour, slightly darker towards the spiracular line. 

 Ventral area, cream white. Spiracles black. There is a brown 

 corneous plate on the second segment, having a lighter indentation 

 down the centre, and another brown plate on the last segment, also 

 divided by a transverse crack at one third of its extent from the head. 

 The twelfth segment has four indistinct black spots arranged in a 

 square, the same marks are also to be traced on the other segments. 

 The whole surface of the head and body is beset with minute bristles. 

 It feeds on the interior of the stems and roots of the ribbon-grass, its 

 presence being indicated by the dying top shoots of the plant. By 

 cutting off all the affected stems and digging between the roots, I 

 obtained twenty-five larvae which I put into a large garden-pot half full 

 of earth, in which several roots of grass had been planted. They were 

 evidently full-fed, so that the beginning to the middle of May would 

 be the best time for collecting them. On June 3rd, I noticed that one 

 of the larvae had spun up, and on June 5th a larva which was lying 

 exposed, pupated. The pupa is rather slender and very active, 

 reminding one of a small likeness of Cuspidia psi ox C. megacephala. 

 Colour, bright reddish-brown, slightly darker on the back oi the 

 abdomen. Wing cases, semi-transparent yellowish-brown. It has two 

 long curved spikes in the tail. Enclosed in a slight silken cocoon on, 

 or just below the surface of the ground. The greater part of mine 

 spun up against the sides of the pot, on the surface of the ground, but 

 a few went about an inch under the surface. Fifteen pupae were 

 obtained, which emerged as follows : — July loth, four specimens ; 

 July nth, three specimens; July 12th, four specimens; July 13th, two 

 specimens ; July 15th, one specimen, making a total of fourteen 

 specimens. One died in the pupa state. Judging from these dates, 

 one would infer that ophiogramma all emerge at about the same 

 time, and that if good specimens are wanted, the exact date must be 

 chosen, a theory which seems to be confirmed by my experience. With 

 regard to the time of day that these specimens emerged, the majority 



