STRAY NOTES ON CERTAIN SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES. 217 



the larvae, so exactly do they resemble their food. You will get them 

 out of the thorns, oaks and beeches, or any tree that gi'ows lichen. I 

 need not describe the larvae. Pick up all the bits of lichen in your 

 tray, and they will probably be larvfe of lichenaria. You had better 

 l)ring home a box of lichen and keep it just moist. It will last them till 

 they pupate. At the same time you will get larvje of Miseh'a oxyacantlice 

 out of the thorns, you can tell them by the way i\\ey wriggle ; and larvaj 

 of Boarmia rohoraria out of the oaks, with a sjilit in the front of their 

 heads. They both feed on the leaves, and want a pot with earth in. 

 When you are tired of this, go on to the railway bridge, and beat sallows. 

 You just may get Apatuva iris larvje, with two horns on his head, and 

 also larvee of Poecilocampa popnli and Trichiura crata^gi, small woolly 

 men, these latter. And if there is any time left before lunch, you can 

 go out on to the heather and run after carpini, to get up an appetite, or 

 take in a piece of one of the alternative mornings. 



I think our ten minutes is over and we can proceed. We might do 

 anything that I have mentioned above, but I may as well go on to the 

 one piece of work which I have not yet talked about. We'll go into 

 those fir plantations over the road. Keep your net handy if you want 

 Farargc cegeria, as the spring brood is just out and you will probably 

 also see alveolus. I want to beat the pines for Ellopia fasciaria larvae. 

 Any of the rides will do. They are red and segmented, just like the 

 red tips of the fir branches. You may also beat a late imago of Trachea 

 piniperda and are sure to beat the green larva of Thera variata. There 

 will also be the much rarer larva of Jirmata — with a red head and 

 smaller than variata. Tedious little beasts to keep they are, as they 

 grow very slowly, and fir is scarce at Winchester. I don't think 

 there is any real Scotch fir nearer than St. Cross, by the river. Luckily 

 fir in damp sand lasts a long while. Bring some home from here, to 

 give you a fair start, and put it into the pot in small pieces, otherwise, 

 when you come to change tlie food, you will never find your larva?. 

 And mind you don't throw away the gi'een j^upa of variata, lying along- 

 one of the needles of the fir, near the base. Fasciaria also spins among 

 the needles, but the pupa is red and easily seen. Firmata will want 

 earth or sand. 



Well ! That's not a bad day. We'll have some tea at the pub, and 

 see what the other men have got. I don't think there is very much 

 beyond what I have mentioned. Too tired to admire scenery on the 

 way home, besides it is low water and mud is not picturesque. Get 

 your larva3 into pots before the night if you can, and pin your insects 

 straight and stick them into a relaxing box ; you can set them to- 

 morrow. Au Eevoir. 



STRAY NOTES ON CERTAIN SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES, 



By J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 



Slow colour clianges in the pmpal wing of Lasiommata mega;ra. — In 

 nothing have I been more interested than in the observation of the 

 colour changes in the pupal wing of the green form of Lasiommata 

 megcera just jirevious to emergence. The first change in the wing is 

 from the bright green of the normal pupa to a dull yellowish-buff, which 

 is spread uniformly over the wing. The second change is the develoj)- 



