228 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



fold under each spiracle. It was lighter in colour than any part of the 

 larva, save the mediodorsal stripe, and was firmly wrinkled in relief 

 against the ventral area, which was of the same colour, though rather 

 more transparent in quality. The legs and prologs partook of the 

 same effect. The detail of the darker parts of the markings were 

 principally found in the warty formations. On the dorsal region there 

 was a dark wart on each side of the mediodorsal line, just removed from 

 it, at the junction of the segments. Outwardly from this ran a suffused 

 oblique dark marking to a smaller dark wart rather more than half- 

 way to the boundary of the broad subdorsal stripe. This oblique 

 marking on each side of the mediodorsal stripe suggested a V-shaped 

 decoration, with the apex pointing forward. Midway on each segment, 

 and just removed fron^ the mediodorsal line, was another dark wart on 

 each side, and, in a line with this, halfway from it to the posterior edge 

 of the segment, was an elongated small dark mark formed by two short 

 longitudinal lines. A similar mark to this was aligned with it on the 

 outside, midway to the boundary of the dark ochreous stripe on which 

 they were all situated. Above each spiracle, on the dark edge of the 

 lateral line, and also in front of each on the spiracular line, was a 

 wart, but not so dark as those on the dorsal surface. The spiracles 

 were as before, light with a dark ring around them. The short setje 

 were still in existence on the head and anal segments, though sparsely 

 present. 



After this change of skin the larva seemed to desire a rest, and 

 simply lay about in a lethargic state, without feeding, for a week ; 

 after which it began, languidly, to feed again, though not in a manner 

 which promised early maturity. Since September 20th, when the 

 larva was found to be lin. in length, very little gain in size had been 

 attained. In fact, the larva was now no longer than it was three weeks 

 before, but it possessed the largeness of head and general bagginess of 

 aspect, which indicated that it ought to be feeding up and growing. 

 Previous to this last change of skin, for a few days before it, the 

 excrement of the larva was quite light in colour and relaxed in 

 consistency. It was of a pale straw-colour and looked more like some 

 extrusion of entrail that that of faeces. Only two of the remaining 

 four of the larv;e survived this last change of skin, and they did not 

 appear to have come through the ordeal with strength or appetite. 

 On October 12th one of these two remaining larva; died, never having 

 fed properly since the change, but gradually dwindled away in size 

 and vitality. The solitary remaining example, however, commenced 

 feeding well, and grew and fattened. It threw off" its languid existence 

 and seemed in a fair way to achieve maturity, feeding regularly and 

 heartily. This, however, seemed to be but a last effort, for about 

 October 24th it ceased feeding, became inert in manner, slowly 

 collapsed, and shrunk as the preceding one had done. On November 

 1st it was found to be dead. The only reason I can suggest for these 

 disasters is, as I have already noticed, that the grass supplied from the 

 local fields may have been contaminated by animals, as, while the larvae 

 were fed in the country, in their earlier existence, all had gone well. 

 This is, I believe, a frequent cause of trouble with the feeding of larvae 

 round and in London. The brood had received every attention, having 

 had fresh food every other day, were confined and fed separately, and kept 

 in a room of the same temperature. 



