PRACTTOATi HINTS. 225 



bottom, from wliicli it was impossible to sort them — in sliort, I now 

 have only three larvaa left. The following are a few notes that I liave 

 taken of them : — The ova were laid (from April 22nd to 2;")th) on the 

 under side of the calyx. All were laid singly, and beneath each bud, 

 from four to five eggs being divided amongst each cluster of flowers. 

 In colour, they were very pale green, almost white ; in shape, round. 

 When the flowers open, the petals fold entirely over the egg, hiding it 

 altogether from sight. The larvjB liatched fi'om May 2nd to the Gth. 

 It is a short plump, louse-shaped caterpillar, of a dull greyish-green 

 colour, covered with short whitish hairs, head black. Afterwards, with 

 its next skin, the colour becomes much brighter, and is then of an 

 apple-green tint, being exactly the same shade as the young leaves of 

 the holly, on which it feeds. A darker green line runs down the 

 centre of the back, and all hairs appear to have vanished, with the 

 exception of some very short Ijristles ; the head remains l)lack, the legs, 

 green. Upon hatching, the young larvae commences to feed on the 

 buds and flowers, amongst which it finds itself, but soon climbs on the 

 young tender leaves and shoots, upon which it thrives. It will also 

 feed on ivy leaves, but when both they and holly are to be had, prefers 

 the latter. The larva, when disturbed, has the power of lowering 

 itself by a web. I do not know how or where the ova of the second 

 brood are laid, as only the early one appears to occur here, I presume, 

 on the young shoots of the holly. In the first case, it is very 

 interesting to note how " natural selection " has taught the insect to 

 always lay its eggs on the calyx, for, should it lay them a fraction 

 of an inch higher up, they would be almost certain to be destroyed, as 

 when the buds once open they are very easily blown away by the 

 wind. The larva? are, of course, very early this year. — A. J. Johnson, 

 Komney Villa, Boldmere, Erdington. May 30th, 1893. 



H 



RACTICAL HINTS. 



Undeksides of Butterflies. — To the collector who wants to make 

 as good a bargain as he can for the insects he catches, I would suggest 

 the advisability of setting a larger proportion of those common Diurni 

 which are repeatedly advertised for exchange, so as to sliow their 

 undersides. I notice in our Exchange baskets that, whilst common 

 and moderately local butterflies are usually returned to their owners, 

 the undersides of the same butterflies nearly always find a ready 

 exchange. — J. W. Tutt. 



The Month. — During this month many larvfe may be found, but 

 unless the weather is dull and unfit for day collecting, they had better 

 l)e left, as they are mostly young and many hybernate for the winter, 

 in which case they are very difficult to rear under artificial conditions. 



Many imagines emerge this month, more particularly those belong- 

 ing to the NocTU.^, therefore, the sugaring-tin must be freely used, as 

 by this means many rarities are obtained, that would otherwise be very 

 diflicult to get. The flower (?) of the wood rush is also very attractive, 

 exuding, as it does, a kind of honey-dew. The writer has seen a patch 

 of these rushes literally swarming with insects, amongst them being 

 such species as Noctna neglecta, Di/scJiorista suspecta, N. dahh'i, Aplecta 

 occulta, &c. The rare Acronycta alni has occurred this month at sugar. 



