308 THE kntobiologist's record. 



whitish, with a faint greenish tint ; narrow clear green sub-dorsal 

 lines ; lateral area, green, with a broad whitish spiracular band. 

 Ventral area, whitish. The skin is very rough, has a granular 

 appearance. Division of segments, indistinct. Thoracic segments, 

 very large. Tubercles, cone-shaped, not chitinous ; hairs long, stout and 

 thorny. A few small secondary bairs, each arising from small tubercles, 

 similar to those previously mentioned, are present in this skin, but no 

 trace of spicules. On anal segment there are two large cone-sbapcd 

 processes, very like large tubercles, bearing long hairs ; they point 

 backwards, and project beyond the anus, giving the larva its forked 

 appearance at the posterior extremity. In this stage I noticed that 

 the spiracles were mounted on short dark-coloured stalks or tubes, in 

 appearance something like the partially developed feathers one finds 

 on young birds. The disparity in size between those on the pro- 

 tborax and on the Sth abdominal segment, compared with those on the 

 abdominal segments 1 to 7, is very striking. Probably the spiracles 

 are stalked in 1st skin, although I did not notice them ; at any rate, 

 this is the case with the larva of K. ianira in 1st stage. 



September 23rd, (?) -itli Skin. — About f of an inch long. Short, 

 stumpy, and slug-shaped, tapering considerably towards head and 

 anus. The head is taller and Avider than pro-thorax ; it gives the 

 larva the appearance of having a neck. 1 1 fail. — Tending towards 

 trapezoidal shape, notched at crown, colour as before, only dark 

 mottlings are formed into long ovals, one on either lobe of face ; still 

 thickly covered with hairs. Bodij. — Of a pale wainscot-brown colour, 

 Avith dark medio-dorsal stripe, traces only of subdorsal stripes, and a 

 broad whitish lateral flange. Segments, fairly distinct ; the thoracic 

 segments divided into 4 sub-segments. The abdominal segments appear 

 to have 3 sub-segments (1 very large and 2 small), the large one, how- 

 ever, has a faint partial sub-division. The hairs and tubercles are in 

 structure and appearance as previously, but small secondaries are, I 

 think, more numerous. Spiracles are still mounted on stalks, but are 

 smaller in proportion to the size of the larva. — A. Bacot. Oct. l^t, 1896. 



;^OTES ON COLLECTING, Etc. 



Notes from Reading. — I have already given a note as to the early 

 spring collecting in this district {a)ite, p. 217). On Easter Monday I 

 had the pleasure of taking, for the first time, that fine species, Evdromis 

 versicolor, capturing one S on the wing, and finding a ? hanging to 

 the birch twigs, as is usual, two others being taken the same day by 

 friends. I also found two small batches of ova, one of 1 1 and another 

 of 15, laid on the small twigs of the birch. Stauropus fatji has also 

 turned up in some numbers, the first being taken as early as April 26th, 

 the earliest date of which we have any record here, and it continued 

 well into June. Acontin Jncliwsa, which I have already recorded as 

 being more than usually abundant, was well out by the middle of 

 May, and I have already recorded my want of success with Sesia 

 xphegiformis. I find the best way to obtain this species is to get on 

 the ground early, say between 7 and 8 a.m., and search the alder 

 stems carefully, when you will find the pupjE protruding ready for 

 emergence, or the insect actually emerged; care should be taken to 

 keep a virgin $ for assembling. On several occasions I have found 



