54 THE entomologist's record. 



some years ago, and have dug up hundreds of them, but they were 

 always ahke in size at the same season. I never found some full- 

 grown, and some a third or quarter-grown, at the same time. Of the 

 other too, lupuUniis and sylvimis, I can find no observations recorded ; 

 but the little knowledge I have of the former species, leads me to the 

 conclusion, that, like hutnuli, it passes through all its changes in a 

 single year. Sylvinus larvae I never had. The larvae of all the 

 species feed on roots and underground stems ; but I scarcely think 

 they are exclusively confined to a single plant. Buckler gives bracken 

 {Fteris aqiiilind) only, as the food of hectus and velleda, and I never 

 found either where bracken did not abound. Owen Wilson, however, 

 adds dandelion root as a food of hecius ; and it seems a very likely 

 thing for it to feed on. Dock is the only food named by Buckler for 

 sylvinus ; but I have taken it freely where there is certainly no dock 

 near. Owen Wilson adds dandelion and sorrell. I am disposed to 

 think it must eat bracken also. I have found larvse of humuli at roots 

 of dead-netttle, and in the creeping root of bog-mint. Owen Wilson 

 gives burdock, hop, daffodil, dock, musk-thistle, black horehound, and 

 stinging-nettle. It probably feeds on many others. For lupjilimis, 

 Wilson gives white dead-nettle, daffodil, black horehound, and plaintain. 

 This larva most certainly feeds on others than these. Mr. Buckler 

 speaks of the great aversion from light evinced by the larva of hecius, and 

 the rapid efforts it makes to hide itself. Humuli larvcX, though awkward 

 and clumsy in their movements, and without the great activity displayed 

 by those of hectus, are equally quick to conceal themselves, and easily 

 penetrate tolerably stiff soil. The larvse of all the species, whether 

 they live one year or two, feed up in the spring, and when mature they 

 approach the surface, and form a loose cocoon in which the long yellow- 

 brown pupa can move about with great ease, wriggling and twisting 

 itself up and down by means of projecting knobs or teeth on the rings 

 of the abdomen. It is curious to see the pupa of lupuliiiiis so move 

 itself, for the cocoon is a long silken tube in which the pupa works 

 itself in either direction and with considerable celerity. When about 

 to emerge they press through the cocoon, and through the surface of 

 the earth. I have seen the empty pupa cases of lupuliiius sticking in 

 considerable numbers from the surface of a track that had been trodden 

 quite hard. Hectus is said to pupate under leaves, or amongst moss. 

 I never found the pupa. 



We now reach the perfect insects, and it is to these the greatest 

 interest attaches. Perhaps the most unusual thing in connection with 

 them, is that not one of them has ever been called by any other name 

 except that in ordinary use.^ The most the "resurrection men " have 

 been able to do for them is to make hectus into hecta, and lupulitius 

 into lupulina. What pleasure, therefore, to speak of insects by names 

 that everyone knows ! No doubt, the very distinct characters of each 

 have contributed to this, for the merest tyro can never make a mistake 

 about any of the species, or take a " Swift " for anything else. It is, 

 therefore, quite unnecessary that I should attempt to differentiate the 

 species or describe their markings, though I shall have something to say 



^ Sylvinus was called hamma by Hiibner and Freyer, lupulina by Hiibner, and 

 flina by Esper. Hccta was called jodtitta by Esp. , ne/norosa by Esper, Jlina by 

 Geyer. — Ed. 



