132 [Novcmbor, 



DESCEIPTION OF THE LARVA OF PTEROFHORUS 

 A CANTHODA CTYL US. 



BT G. T. POEKITT, F.L.S. 



At page 149 of the last (xxii) volume of tbe Eut. Mo. Mag., is a 

 description of the larva of Fteropliorus cosmodactylus ; a reference to 

 it will show that in the year 1884, Mr. Eustace K. Bankes, of Corfe 

 Castle, sent me about a score of larvae of a JPterophortos, from which I 

 bred a series of cosmodactylus and two specimens of acantliodactylus. 

 Last year, Mr. Bankes sent me another lot of larvae, from which I bred 

 cosmodactylus only. Notwithstanding this large proportion of cosmo- 

 dactylus, Mr. Bankes has all along been convinced that in reality 

 acantliodactylus is much the commoner insect in his district ; and, 

 therefore, again this year collected and sent me thirteen more larvae 

 fi'om the Stachys sylvatica. They reached me on August 25th, and, 

 on opening the box, at first sight they appeared to me just like those 

 received the two previous years ; they were of the same shape, and 

 there was precisely the same range of variation from the bright green 

 to purple forms. Two days afterwards, however, on comparing them 

 closely with my descriptions of the previous years' larvae, it at once 

 became apparent that there were distinctly defined distinctions be- 

 tween them ; so much so, that I at once wrote to Mr. Bankes stating 

 I fully expected to breed acantliodactylus from them. On the 7th of 

 September a further consignment of larvje reached me from my friend 

 Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher, of Worthing, who sent them (evidently 

 without any doubt on his part) as acantliodactylus. They seemed in 

 every respect like Mr. Bankes' larvae, so that I was now all but certain 

 it would be proved these two closely allied species can be separated 

 in the larval stage. The result was perfectly satisfactory, for from 

 Mr. Bankes' larvae I bred thirteen acantliodactylus, from September 

 7th to 14th ; and from Mr. Fletcher's, five specimens, the first appear- 

 ing on September 21st. It seems almost inexplicable that this year 

 Mr. Bankes should collect no cosmodactylus larvae whatever, for he 

 retained a good many himself, and when writing me early in Septem- 

 ber, he had up to that time bred forty specimens — all acantliodactylus 1 



Desceiption. — In shape exactly like that of cosmodactylus, as described in the 

 Ent. Mo. Mag., xxii, 150. As in that species there are two distinct forms, and 

 intermediate varieties occur partaking more or less of each of these extreme forms : — 



Var. I has the ground colour deep purple ; head yellowish-grey, or yellowish- 

 brown, marked on the crown and sides with black, the mandibles brown ; mcdio- 

 dorsal stripe smoke-coloured ; sub-dorsal lines, and another line of equal width 



