LIFE-HISTOKIES. 271 



smooth and polished. The minute knobs of the spaces are more of the 

 order of texture than sculpture, the diameter of each being about 

 0-004mm. The opening by which the larva emerged is very small, 

 remarkably so, when it is noted that the other larvae from the same lot 

 of eggs demolished the egg-shells, a scrap of one, possibly the whole 

 remains, being attached to this one. — T. A. Chapman, Betula, Reigate. 

 Septciiiber, 1904. 



Egg and life-history of Phryxus livornica. — With regard to the 

 Editorial note [antea p. 240), I am sorry to say that I could not write 

 a life-history of Phryxus livornica, as my larvte died young. Dr. 

 Crallan has, I believe, figured the egg (his larvae died young also), but 

 I suppose Mr. Bankes will have completed the life-history, as he, I 

 believe, bred three imagines out of four larvae. — R. B. Robertson, 

 Forest View, Southbourne Road, Boscombe. September Idth, 1904. 



Orgyia antiqua, a query concerning the variation of larva. — I ought 

 to know all about it, but I do not. Sepp's beautiful figure of this larva 

 shows a fine lateral tuft on the 2nd abdominal segment, and smaller ones on 

 the segments on either side. Barrett figures these, but does not mention 

 them in his description. Buckler shows the one on 2nd abdominal. I 

 have read somewhere that this lateral tuft is characteristic of U. antiqua, 

 which always has it, and no other Orf/yia has. I have often seen it 

 myself. Is the larva (full-grown) ever or often without it in England 

 or central Europe ? This, I say, I ought to know, but do not. I 

 fancy I should have noticed its absence had I come across it. On the 

 other hand, carelessness in observation is a fault I am liable to, like 

 most other people. The query is suggested by a larva from Spain, a 

 very fine specimen, that was absolutely without it, and which produced 

 a $ moth ; and some larvte sent me by Mr. Powell from Hyeres, which 

 are equally without it. Are these forms that might have occurred in 

 England or Germany, or are they a definitely southern variety ? Mr. 

 Powell's larvfe had beautiful yellow sides in the ^ s and ? s in pen- 

 ultimate skin, getting, in the last skin of the ? larv«, a coloration like 

 (J. antiqua usually has with us. That larvae vary in the south, just as 

 imagines do, and present local races, is a point I have already called 

 attention to in the case of Arriynnis aylaia and EucheUa jacohaeae. 

 The pupaB of these pale larv^ were largely colourless, having a broad 

 black dorsal band, and sometimes ventral, the colourless portion being 

 transparent on the emergence of the moth (as often in some Plusias). 

 In English 0. antiqua, my pupae are entirely dense and black ; is this- 

 always so ? The ? imagines, also, have legs of colourless chitin 

 (except on portions of the femur), as I have described in 0. aurolimbata, 

 etc. I have described them in O. antiqua (British) as being quite 

 black [Ent. liec, vol. xv., p. 197). This is obviously a racial and not 

 a specific character. How far is it constant in British specimens ? 

 — T. A. Chapman, M.D., Reigate. 



The time of appearance of Stenoptilia zophodactyla, Dup. — In 

 answer to Mr. Tutt's inquiries {antea, p. 210, where, by a laps, cal., 

 zophodactyla appears as " zophodactylus''' "), my experience with this 

 species has led me to an entirely opposite conclusion to that formed 

 by him on the published evidence, and clearly points to its having at 

 least two broods in the course of the year, though, on the other hand, 



•This is quite accurate. Duponchel named the insect " zophodactylus.'" — Ed. 



