194 IFebruary, 



Sheffield were grey. Here in PembrokeBhire they vary from grey to 

 deep red-brown. 



Sericoris lacujiana, Schiff. This species, which is so far variable 

 m the imago state as to have been split up into several species (Jierhana, 

 rupestrana) in this country, has a larva which is an actual nuisance 

 and torment, from its protean colourings and the mistakes thereby 

 caused. It is a cylindrical larva, rather elongated, and very active. 

 When young, I have found it pale yellowish, or semi-transparent 

 greenish, with visible intestinal canal, spots small and black, head and 

 dorsal and anal plates pale brown, at other times liver-coloured with 

 black head and plates, or the dorsal plate dark brown with a whitish 

 collar. 



When full-grown it is commonly smoky-brown, smoky-black, or 

 liver-coloured, with head and both plates shining black, but sometimes 

 it is pale grey, bluish, whitish, or even yellowish, with head and plates 

 light brown, or with head and dorsal plate black and anal plate brown, 

 or yellow with a brown dot. The anterior edge of the dorsal plate is 

 Bometimes whitish. It feeds on all manner of bushes and low plants, 

 drawing together their terminal leaves, or screwing up the young 

 shoots and feeding in the heart ; but occasionally I have found it 

 feeding in blossoms of Clirysantlievmm, Ranunculus, &c., and once (a 

 bright yellow larva) in a blossom of Subus idceus. 



Mr. Sang found a lot of larvae on a single dwarf sallow at High 

 Force, all of which were green. There were none on the larger 

 sallows around. Mr. Warren found them in Wicken Fen feeding on 

 comfrey, yellow loosestrife, &c., of a grass-green, with paler suh-dorsal 

 stripes. Nothing but lacunana emerged from them. Wilkinson 

 simply says that the larva is of a dark brownish-black, with a black 

 head, and this is undoubtedly one of its commonest forms. 



The pupa is shining dark brown or blackish, in a slight cocoon 

 among dead leaves or rubbish. The larva always seems to leave the 

 shoot on which it has fed before spinning up. 



The variations in the larva state do not seem to correspond at all 

 with those of the perfect insect, in fact, all the most extraordinary 

 larvae hitherto noticed have produced the typical form of the moth. 



Dichrorampha politana, W. V. I have found some difficulty in 

 ascertaining certainly the larva of this species, feeding as it does along 

 with that of JPetiverella in the spring, but I think that I separated it 

 satisfactorily last spriug. The species is not sufficiently abundant 

 here to give a fair opportunity, so my friend Mr. F. D. Wheeler very 



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