AN ATTEMPT TO BREED LEUCANIA ALBIPUNCTA. 163 



to feed), and with the back of the thoracic segments darker ; the head, 

 orange-brown, appearing somewhat horny. All the prolegs were 

 developed, but only the posterior pairs were used for clasping, hence 

 the usual looper gait was assumed. They rested in a slightly arched 

 posture, the head being brought down to the resting surface, but the 

 legs apparently drawn together, not used for clasping. They were 

 rather restless at first, and when they were touched, or the grass upon 

 which they were resting was moved or jarred, would frequently drop 

 by a tine thread. 



I am, unfortunately, entirely ignorant of the names of the different 

 species of our common grasses ; but I think I may state positively 

 that the larvte were not particularly discriminating, for they fed freely 

 on any that were offered them. 



On September 18th, I made the following notes as to their habits, 

 etc. : — " Twenty-five are thriving, the other three missing. Feed 

 very freely on the broad, or moderately broad, but tender blades. 

 Never attack the edges, but chiefly make elongated holes (right 

 through the blade) between two of the ribs, and generally near the 

 edge. To-day, at 9 a.m., I am watching some of them feeding on 

 the fresh food (they are not at all shy of the light) ; they rest on the 

 edge of the blade, and reach the fore-part of the body round to the 

 'point of attack,' at the underside of the blade. They are still 

 decidedly restless, and after being alarmed into dropping, begin to 

 crawl immediately. Since feeding, they are much greener in colour, 

 the fore part of the body slightly the stouter, and somewhat dark. 

 The first abdominal segment apparently paler." 



The following day I presented 16 of the larvsfi to my friend, Mvr. 

 J. A. Clark, whose usual success in breeding led me to hope he would 

 get them through ; eight I retained myself for further observation. 

 Unfortunately, some of Mr. Clark's larvje must have escaped from the 

 box in which I took them to him, for when he came to put them out 

 next day he found only 11, and these gradually dwindled down from 

 various causes, until the last one succumbed at its final moult. I am 

 afraid I am in part responsible for Mr. Clark's want of success, as I 

 told him that the larvae would have to hybernate, and he misunder- 

 stood me to mean that I did not advise forcing them up indoors, and 

 he had lost most of them before he learned from me that I was 

 forcing my own, and that they were doing much better. However, he 

 attributes the failure largely to his recent pressure of business, ill- 

 health, and absence from home. He has kindly placed in my hands 

 the notes ho made, for incorporation with my own in this paper. 



I noticed about this time that the larviB showed a much greater 

 propensity for concealment than was observed the first day or two, 

 generally retiring to hide in the centre of a foldod grass blade, or up 

 at the junction of the leaf -portion with its stem. 



The first moult was reached on September 21st. In the second skin 

 the colour was still mainly grey-greenish, as before, but less shining 

 and more opaque. Head transparent pale-brown, with faint indica- 

 tions of two curved blackish lines down the face. Dorsal line whitish, 

 slender, bounded by very faint black lines ; sub-dorsal pale, bounded 

 with black above ; then a double dark line, very fine, then a black 

 line just above the spiracles, also double. All these lines appeared to 

 bo continuous. The ventral area and the claspers, paler brown. The 

 " looping " propensity of the larva not abandoned. 



