70 



(for facility of the subsequent removal of the eggs), and having a piece of gauze or 

 leno substituted for the wooden top of the lid. The sweetened sponge may be pinned 

 to the side of her cage, fi-om which she will generally be found to sip fi-eely ; in 

 order, however, to make sure of her having a taste, place the sponge in front of her 

 palpi and then very gently blow towards her, when she will immediately unfold her 

 tongne and partake of the nectar. 



It must be borne in mind that the males of some species, as Bomhyx, Saturnia, 

 Endromi.'f, fly by day in quest of their respective females, but that the females do not 

 generally fly or deposit their eggs until the evening has set in. As a rule the food- 

 plant should be introduced to laying females, it can never do harm, and may some- 

 times be the means of procuring eggs otherwise unobtainable ; and I may just note 

 here that the introduction of a gas or lamp light to an apartment in which a female 

 is depositing will, in most cases, stop the process, though in others this very means 

 may be adopted as an incentive to lay ; and it is sometimes noticed that a female 

 with which every inducement had failed, has laid freely enough after having been 

 treated with oxalic acid ; and even the plan of actually squeezing out eggs from the 

 body of a refractory female appears to have met with, at any rate, partial success 

 in more cases than one. 



{To be continved.) 



Captures of Phytometra wnca and Eupitliecia lariciata. — I took Phytometra 

 cenea somewhat plentifully on April 29th in St. Leonard's Forest. Most of the 

 specimens were poor, and had evidently been out some time. Mr. Stainton's Manual 

 gives the date of its aiDpearance as June and July. 



I have been also taking rather freely the new pug Eupithecia lariciata, and 

 shall be glad to distribute it as far as my supply goes. The specimens are not first- 

 rate, having been taken rather too late. — Du. Battersheli. Gill, 5, Cambridge 

 Place, Eegent's Park, n.w. 



Description of the larva of Tethea suhtusa. — The eggs of this species are pro- 

 bably laid at the end of July and throughout August on the young twigs of poplar. 

 The larva hatches in the following spring, as soon as the young buds burst into 

 leaf ; it immediately spins two leaves together, and continues this practice during 

 the whole of the larval state. Like some other species, it effects the various changes 

 of skin in the same situation. In confinement it appears to feed only at night. 

 The following is a description of the full-grown larva, which is not at all variable 

 either in colour or markings : — pale yellowish-green, rather glossy, not unlike dictcBa. 

 The dorsal stripe broad, pale yellow, much more so than the ground colour. Spira- 

 cular line the same ; along this latter is a row of black rings, somewhat oval, having 

 a pale yellow centre. There is one such ring in the second and ten following seg- 

 ments. Just midway between the dorsal and spiracular lines is another slender, 

 clear yellovv stripe, slightly interrupted by the segmental divisions. Head chrome 

 yellow, bordered with black. Mouth and prolegs black, slightly mottled with yellow. 

 The larva lies curled up between two leaves spun together, and in this position, 

 whrn in a state of nature, may easily be detected by looking np at the leaves. Pupa 



