1873.] 89 



along the dorsal region, through the centre of which runs the medio-clorsal line of 

 the paler gi-ound colour ; there are no perceptible sub-dorsal or spiracular lines ; 

 head very dark brown and shining ; the plate on the second segment wainscot-brown 

 edged with dark brown, that on the anal segment wainscot-brown ; spiracles very 

 distinct, black. Ventral surface and prolegs uniformly ochreous-yellow, legs wainscot- 

 brown. — Geo. T. Porritt, Huddersfield : August lUh, 1873. 



Note on the larva of Polia nigrocincta. — Last week, I, with Messrs. Roxburgh 

 and Grreasley of Liverpool, spent a few evenings in the Isle of Man searching for 

 larvse of Polia nigrocincta. For several njghts, Statice armeria and Silene maritima 

 (the stated food-plants of the species) were examined, but only a few scattered larvse 

 were found. On Wednesday, Mr. G-reasley collected several on Plantago maritima, 

 but had to leave the island next morning. The day turned out wet, so we did 

 scarcely anything in the evening, but on our last night (Friday) Mr. Roxburgh and I 

 worked the Plantago maritima alone, and in a short time had boxed thirty-two larvae 

 from it, Mr. Roxburgh taking the lion's share. From this it would seem that this is 

 the most general food of the species. — Id. : June 2Srd, 1873. 



Description of the larva of Phgcis (?) Davisellus. — I have received from Mr. 

 Henry Bartlctt three larvse of this species in a fine, loosely spim, open web on a piece 

 of furze, the largest of which measiires between five and six eighths of an inch in 

 length ; its form is tolerably cylindrical, the head full and rounded at the sides, the 

 second segment a trifle larger, and the third a trifle larger still, being the same size 

 as the following segments to the end of the tenth, from whence it tapers gradually 

 to the end of the thirteenth ; the segments beyond the thoracic are on the back well 

 defined by a deep wrinkle, and sub-divided by another wrinkle (equally deejj) into two 

 unequal portions, the greatest portion in front ; the larva is more wrinkled along the 

 sides, the spiracular region being a little inflated and puckered ; the segments of th 

 belly are deeply divided and transversely wrinkled ; the anterior legs well developed, 

 the ventral and anal legs moderately so, and placed much beneath the body ; the 

 skin is slightly glistening on the head, the back of the second segment, and legs, but 

 all the rest, though smooth, is without gloss. 



With regard to colour, the dorsal line is blackish-brown, bordered with a line of 

 very pale drab, next with a ragged-edged stripe of deeper reddish-drab, and this in 

 turn by a stripe of very pale drab, on which are placed the blackish tubercular dots 

 in rings a little paler than the ground. Along the sub-dorsal region is a very broad, 

 conspicuous, blackish-brown stripe, in bold relief to the foregoing as well as to that 

 which follows below, which is, in fact, a repetition of tlie two pale, naiTow, drab 

 stripes, having a darker, reddish-drab, ragged-edged, broader stripe between them ; 

 the belly is of a uniform, rather deeper reddish-drab, slightly inclining to greyish ; 

 the head has a pale drab ground colour, but is so thickly marked with blackish-brown 

 spots and curved blotches as to show but Uttle, chiefly on the crown ; above the 

 mouth is a transverse whitish band, and the bases of the papillae are also whitish ; 

 on the second segment the dorsal line is represented doubly, enclosing a fine thread 

 of pale drab ; at the beginning of most of the segments on each side of the back is 

 a transverse row of four or five small blackish-brown dots, seen onlv while the larva 



