1S78.] 17 



witli spines. The fifth segment is similar to the fourth, saving that it bears 

 seven spines instead of four. Segments six to twelve are similar to five, except that 

 each bears in addition two large white spots placed on the velvety dorsal band just 

 in front of the spines (which run in a row along centre of band) and a little to left 

 and right of the central spines. Most of the spines (especially those intermediate on 

 each segment between the central one and the spiracular lines) spring from a more or 

 less distinct red wart or protubei-ance. Legs and claspers all black, or nearly so. 

 The last segment has no white spots, but is confusedly black and yellowish-green, and 

 bears four spines (placed at the four corners of an imaginary square described on the 

 segment) pointing backwards. Feeds on a species of " everlasting," which grows in 

 sandy places near the sea. Pupa suspended by the tail — of an ashy colour, generally 

 more or less marked with yellow. — N. C. Tfely, Mortimer Lodge, Wimbledon Park: 

 May IWi, 1878. 



Note. — In Smith & Abbott's Lepidop. Insects of Georgia, the food-plant of 

 Fyrameis Huntera is stated to be Gnaphalium obfusifolliim. 



Natural History of Xylomiges conspicillaris. — It gives me great pleasure to be 

 able to publish some account of the preparatory stages of this rare species, and for 

 the ability to do this I have to thank Dr. Wood (of Tarrington), whose eyes were 

 keen enough to detect a moth resting near the ground on an old gate-post, and for 

 all the world looking like a splinter of the wood on which it was sitting ; my friend 

 had found others previously in similar situations, but this was the first female, and 

 luckily it proved fertile. 



The moth was found on June 4t.h, 1877, and she deposited her eggs in clusters 

 on the sides of a chip box during the night of June 5th ; in the cluster sent to me 

 on the 9th, I found them lying three deep, but cannot say if in nature they would 

 •have been laid so thickly ; possibly they might, for some species I know — such as 

 TcBiiiocampa miniosa and gracilis — lay all their eggs in one dense heap. 



The larvse were hatched on June 14th and 15th, and ate about half the cluster 

 of empty egg-shells before settling down on the food supplied — viz., Lotus cornicu- 

 latus. The first moult took place on June 20th and 21st ; the second on the 27th 

 and 28th ; the third about July 5tli ; the fourth from 12th to 15th of July; and the 

 last was accomplished by the most advanced larva on July 26th — followed by others 

 at intervals; after this some deaths occurred among my stock, and in addition to the 

 food previously given — viz., L. corniculatus and occasionally Polygonum aviculare, I 

 now gave them Lotus major and Euonymus europceus, and afterwards I learnt from 

 Dr. Wood that I should have supplied them chiefly with the flowers of L. corniculatus, 

 which he found his larvse preferi'ed to the leaves : the first two full-fed burrowed into 

 the earth on August 5th, and were followed not long afterwards by some others, 

 though two individuals chose to remain at last on the surface and pupate there 

 without making any attempt to cover themselves ; whilst those, which had entered 

 the earth formed therein a thick and tough cocoon of earthy particles, looking as 

 thougli they had been kneaded up with fluid, the result being of the texture of a 

 worm-cast, the interior very smooth ; the moths appeared on April 17th, 18th, 19th, 

 and 22nd, 1878. 



