Description of fh-e hirra, Sfc, of Bolyx lancealis. — Siiico llio pulilicfition of tl):it 

 interesting paper, "In memoriam Carl von Ilcydcn," in The Entoraologis'.s' Annual 

 for 1SG7, I had cherished the hope of obtaining the larva of lancealis, and this hope 

 lias at length been fulfilled, thanks to the kindness of Di\ J. H. "Wood, of Tarrington, 

 who succeeded in detecting it in Herefordshire, and kindly sent me two young 

 examples on the 13th August, and three more (full-grown) on the 1st September, 

 1874. 



Not having seen any description of this larva, it has occurred to me to give one, 

 together with some account of the behaviour of the few individuals I had in 

 captivity. 



Of the first two larva; I received, one liad been accidentally crushed, but its 

 companion arrived in a lively condition, wriggling and leaping, both forwards and 

 backwards equally well, whenever disturbed from its web spun amongst the leaves 

 of the Eupatorium cannabinum. 



Tlie yomigest larvte was about five-eighths of an inch long, and at this stage of 

 its growth was rather uniform in size, thougli in other respects showing the character- 

 istics of a Pyralis ; its pale drab head spotted and freckled with darkish-browri, the 

 back and upper sides of tlie body bhiish-green, the thoracic segments rather yellower- 

 green, a whitish hair-like splracular line, the belly and legs pale whitish-green ; the 

 second segment as shining as the head, and minutely speckled with black, the dorsal 

 vessel faintly showiiig as a rather darker green pulsating stripe ; the segmental folds 

 greenish-white, the tubercular warty eminences, though of the ground colour, yet 

 glistening with a pearly lustre ; the rest of the skin at this time generally without 

 gloss, but so thin as to be semi-transparent. 



Wlien fresh food was supplied to tliis larva, it soon spun a new web for its 

 dwelling under the end of a leaf, folding it down, and remaining quiet for some time ; 

 afterwards often coming out at intervals to feed on the neighbouring leaves. 



On one occasion of changing the food I watched the larva spin another web ; 

 it first took up its position on the under-side of a leaf, across the midrib, about an 

 incli from the tip, and began operations by fixing a tlu'cad of silk on one side of the 

 leaf, then stretching itself round, it carried over the thread and fixed it on the 

 opposite side, and so it continued regularly from one side to the other, the fore-part 

 of its body ivt each movement describing a segment of a circle ; — occasionally it 

 paused a moment to advance a step, and then began spinning again, and so on until 

 satisfied that it liad spun enough ; then it changed its position, and laid itself to 

 rest along the midrib of the leaf: this web was more than half as long again as the 

 larvffi itself, and aliout lialf-an-inch in width, excepting just at the ends which were 

 a little less, and both open ; the silk of whicli it was spun being rather fine in texture, 

 and whitish. After a sliort rest the larva crept a little way out of the web, and began 

 nibbling the edge of the leaf it had chosen to reside under ; at this moment, in order 

 to have a clearer view, I cautiously ventured to turn aside the tip of another leaf 

 adjacent, — but so timorous was the larva that it sprang instantly backwards into its 

 web, where in alarm it remaint^d for a long time witli its length much contracted. 

 In course of a few hours after this it had firmly fastened its leaf to two or three 

 other leaves close by, and I did not disturb it again until the 18th of the month, 

 when I found it had just moulted, and not only increased somewhat it size, but 

 assumed a different dress, together with tlie usual proportions that characterise the 

 genus. On tiie 23rd I saw it was full-grown, and took the following dcjcription : — 



