HYDRIOBiENA FUHCATA (hYPSIPETES SORDID ATa). Ill 



eggs and one — the former concealing them under loose wood in the 

 chip box, in what I take to be, more or less, the normal way. When 

 laid, the eggs are whitish ; in two days they begin to change to a 

 fleshy shade, which gradually deepens in intensity ; in another eight 

 days they become grey, gradually deepening in two days more to 

 deeper blue-grey, which should (by analogy with other Larentiid eggs) 

 be their final colour, and in which condition they still abide. I rather 

 suspect the larva is developed within the egg-shell. 



The larva. — I have never had the newly-hatched larva, and have 

 made no description of the larval stages. I do not recollect that it 

 undergoes any important changes in coloration or markings, nor do I 

 consider it variable on the whole. I may refer you to Newman for a 

 description of the full-fed larva. I am not disposed to agree with that 

 author, that it " grows very rapidly." Of course, I assume that the 

 comparative adverb, " rapidly," is to be taken with reference to other 

 Larentiid larvae. If he is comparing its growth with that of a man, or of 

 a cedar tree, I have no fault to find. I have, unfortunately, no notes 

 on the subject, but I am certain the normal larval period cannot be 

 much under two months ; and as the growth is very irregular, some of 

 the larvae would no doubt take a great deal longer. Surely this growth 

 is not " very rapid," when compared with Melanippe Jiuctuata, sociata, 

 f/aliata, Anticlea rubidata, Coreiiiia denynata, etc., etc., all of which, in 

 my experience, can go from e^g to pupa in about three weeks. As 

 regards the food-plants of this species, it is a fairly general, yet by no 

 means an absolutely indiscriminate, feeder. The lowland forms 

 usually feed on sallow, willow or nut ; in confinement they will, of 

 course, accept any species of poplar. Some of the old Continental 

 works indicate alder, or even birch, as food-plants ; but I am not cer- 

 tain whether this has had recent confirmation, and there may have 

 been some confusion with the allied H. trifasciata. The moorland 

 forms, etc., have quite different food-plants, namely, Ericaceae. In 

 the Yorkshire hillside woods, Mr. Porritt considers that they are con- 

 fined to bilberry ; but the Scottish mountain forms feed chiefly on 

 heath (? Callnna), as was first suggested by Mr. Jenner Weir, in 

 vol. XV. of the Entomologist, and corroborated by Mr. Hinchcliffe, of 

 Alva, and Mr. W. Keid, of Pitcaple. They ever prefer that food to 

 bilberry in places where both grow together. 



The pupa. — Treitschke says that this is green, Hiibner figures it of 

 a bright red-brown. The latter is correct, and probably Treitschke 

 described from an immature pupa. It is interesting that the colour is 

 quite different from the black pupa of the closely-allied H. trifasciata. 

 The Rev. Joseph Greene {Insect Hunters Companion, p. 35) says that 

 the pupae of the three species of this genus " are all black and very 

 active." Considering that the pupa is Mr. Greene's speciality, and that 

 he used to find those of sordidata "in abundance at the roots of willows," 

 I am puzzled that he should have described it as black. It is hardly 

 likely that a subterranean pupa would be very variable in colour. I 

 cannot find any entries in my note book as to the duration of the pupal 

 period, but I fancy it is about three weeks, probably a little more in 

 the case of individuals which pupate very early. 



The imago. — This is on the wing for a tolerably long period during 

 the summer months. Dates in my own diary range from May 30th (in 

 1893) to September 15th (in 1891), but my early dates are only for bred 



