•^"^"^ ^Nr, ^'■'^^^ 



JOURNAL OF VARIATION. 



No. 2. Vol. III. February 15th, 1892. 



THE GENUS ACRONYCTA AND ITS ALLIES. 



By Dr. T. A. CHAPMAN. 



{Continued from page 7.) 



\CRONYCTA (Cuspidia) leporina (continued). — There 

 are two distinct forms of the larva, the southern 

 alder or green form with white hairs, and the 

 yellow northern or birch form. The former is 

 tolerably uniform in the larval surface, being green and 

 nearly free from marking. Length 34 mm. ; outline thickest 

 at 7.8 and g, tapering either way with an arched or 

 rounded margin, especially when sulking, something like 

 Noiodonta dodoncea or N . carmeliia, but more truncate at the 

 tail. Colour pale apple-green with no markings, spiracles 

 white with a fine black line, head and legs a trifle paler, 

 labrum and palpi nearly white, darker beneath. The surface 

 is uniformly clothed with long, perfectly white hairs, which 

 stand erect for about 2 mm. of their length, and then bend 

 down parallel to the larval surface for a length oVabout 5 mm., 

 thus forming a continuous coat or surface at a distance of 

 2 mm. from the larva. Very inconspicuous, but easily seen 

 when looked for, are certain black hairs, 2 to 3 to each anterior 

 trapezoidal, i to each posterior trapezoidal, 1^ to 2 mm. long, 

 a little longer and more numerous on 13 and 14, where they 

 tangle with the flowing white hairs. Sometimes this form has 

 some black markings in head. The yellow form has a yellow 

 larval skin with distinct chocolate bands down back and side, 

 indistinct as to outline, but pronounced as to tint ; it is also 



