1865.] 135 



fine doreal lino, paler than the ground, is bordered throughout more or less distinctly 

 with lines of either a bright rust or deep red colour, which at each of the folds, after 

 segment five, expand into a V, with the apex pointing forward, and enclose a 

 three-cornered yellowish-white spot ; the dorsal line becomes more distinct, and 

 its borders of a stronger red after segment eight : the anal flap and ventral legs are 

 tinged with purplish-pink ; there are two very fine faint brownish-green and sub- 

 dorsal lines ; the region of the spiracles yellowish-green, becoming a more decided 

 yellow stripe in segments two, three, and four, and eleven, twelve, and thirteen ; 

 and running down the anal pair of legs ; the spiracles reddish. 



From this account it will be seen that this larva varies greatly during its 

 growth, the first and last stages being the most beautiful. 



The pupa in shape is long, slender, and cylindrical, and very flexible ; the head- 

 case projecting and much smaller than the body, which is tolerably uniform in 

 thickness ; the wing cases distinct, widely separated from each other, and reaching 

 halfway between the head and tail ; the antennae-cases reaching one or two seg- 

 ments ftirther. Colom- a pale yellowish-olive, head and wing-cases pale olive-green, 

 finely outhned with black : the segmental folds and dots along the side of the ab- 

 domen are dark also ; the tip of the anal segment and the short blunt spike homy 

 and brown. Enclosed in an open fine network of dirty yellow silk, either between 

 the stems of the food-plant, or against the sides or cover of the cage. 



The food chosen was Polygonum aviculare, and the rate of growth plainly shows 

 that it was eaten freely ; no doubt there are other plants equally acceptable, and 

 M. Carl Plotz, in one of his beautiful drawings, had figured this larva on a species 

 of Chamomile. — John Hellins, October 4<^. 



Sterrha sacraria Ired. — At the end of a fortnight, the pupse referred to in my 

 former note began to become more suSused all over with a pale brownish tint, and 

 on October 35th, I noticed one which had changed to a smoky -black, the edges of 

 the wing-cases showing a rich red stripe, and in the evening the moth emerged ; 

 since then two more have made their appearance, and by the end of this week, I 

 expect the other three will have followed their example. The fore-wings arc 

 variable in tint — always very delicate and pretty ; and I notice that the moth likes 

 to rest with its wings roofed together at a very acute angle, after the manner of 

 CiUx spirmla. — Id., October \Sth. 



DescrvpUon, c^c, of the larva of Botys asinalis. — On 3rd last July I received from 

 Mr. A. E. Hudd, of Clifton, some eggs of this species. These eggs were scale-Uke, 

 being very flat, of a slightly oval form, deposited in little patches of ten or less on 

 the sides of the chip box ; in colour they were very slightly greenish, and very 

 shiny, looking somewhat like spots of grease. On being examined with an inch 

 lens after the larvae were hatched, the shell appeared to bo very thin, and most 

 delicately reticulated. 



By July 6th the heads of the larva) could be seen — like a tiny black dot in each 

 egg, reminding one somewhat of a patch of toad's spawn ; and a few hours after, 

 they began to make their debut, little tiny yellowish fellows with dark heads. 

 Mr. Hudd had conjectured the food to be Rubia peregrina (madder), and it soon 

 appeared that he was right ; the larva? at once fed freely on the flowers and young- 



