114 LOctober, 



Fourthly and lastly, ' generally favourite foods ' afford a very likely group to 

 choose from, especially for such larvae as the true food remains undetected ; indeed, 

 for the rearing of previously undiscovered larvae, particularly of the Geometndce 

 and NoctuidcB, this class of ' substitute foods ' is invaluable. For the former, 

 Polygonum winculare* undoubtedly holds the first place, followed by Lotus, Qle- 

 clioma, &c., amoug low plants, with sallow and blackthorn among shrubs : for the 

 latter, Plantain, Dandelion, Dock, Lettuce, Clover, Borage, and Gooscfoot, will all 

 be found very serviceable, and so also will Sallow, Birch, and Plum, in the case of 

 such lai'vsB as may be suspected of feeding on taller vegetation, though it must be 

 owned that the great bulk of " larvas unknown" feed upon low herbs. 



(To he continue^. 



Note on Phorodesma hajularia. — I read Mr. Ilorton's note on this species last 

 mouth with great interest, and should like to add one or two observations of my 

 own to his full and accurate account. 



On 3rd July last Dr. Hoarder kindly sent me some eggs, the larvas from a 

 portion of which were hatched on the journey, and came to me already dressed 

 (oak leaves having been put in with them), but a few were still remaining in the 

 egg, and gave me an opportunity of seeing them emerge in their nakedness ; it 

 happened that, on two occasions, a couple of larvae were hatched in their pillbox 

 whilst I was not at hand to put them at once on their food, and so great was the 

 innate desii'e of dress, that each time I found one of the paii* had killed his brother 

 and stuck his carcase upon his own back ! When, however, they had once tasted 

 oak, I saw no more of this fratricidal wickedness. As to their re-adornment after a 

 change of skin, I fancy, but am not quite sure, that they remain close by the cast 

 skin, and jiitch off from it their old bits of clothes, and stick them on their backs 

 fii'st, but, of course, as they grow bigger they add larger scraps. 



About the middle of August one of my larvaa had so far outstripped the rest 

 in growth that I sent him to Mr. Bucklei', who, having first depicted him "dressed," 

 with a great deal of trouble pulled off all his coverings, and took a second figure of 

 him " naked ; " after this there was no attempt to replace the lost dress, but, after 

 feeding a few days longer, by the end of August the larva changed into a pupa, 

 without any covering or fastening whatever. All the rest of my larvae are now 

 feeding very slowly, and will probably hybernate when about half-grown. 



If the oak leaves supplied to them are tender I notice they are eaten in the 

 usual way, but the harder and drier leaves are turned into skeletons, all the network 

 of I'ibs and veins being left untouched. 



I must conclude with saying that I cannot call the head of this larva hifid, ; in 

 this point it differs from all the other British Qeometridce. — J. Hellins, 9*?!- Sept. 



* It is perfectly wonderful to note how universally this food is esteemed by the larvw of GcomctridiP. 

 This fact was communicated to me some years since by my valued friend Mr Henry Doubleday, since 

 which time I have invariably offered it to nil such lai-va;, concerning the food of which I had any 

 doubt, and in almost all cases it was at once adopted. 



