1873.] 117 



not done so. Neither has grown any more, and both have ceased feeding, and 

 seem intending to hibernate for a second winter ! Can this be the habit of the 

 species ? 



On the 9th July of this present year, I went with Mr. Lewis to the New Forest, 

 but, the day being cloudy, only got four moths from which I could get no eggs, but 

 Mr. Lewis was more fortunate, and obtained about forty eggs, the larvffi from which 

 are now safely through their first moult, so I shall hope to investigate their habits 

 further ; these eggs were precisely the same as those of last year, and on comparison 

 were very much larger than the eggs of Z.JilipeHdulce, an insect nearly twice its size. 

 The young larvae shew the same markings, or rather want of markings, as before. 



The young larva of Zygana meliloti may be thus described : — Body pale greenish- 

 grey, with a few short white hairs scattered over it, and irroi-ated with minute dusky 

 tubercles. Head black, with transverse upper lip. Membrane at base of antennae and 

 articulations of the mouth white. The arrangement of the ground colour is into five 

 lines, as in the two forms of trifoUi, loniceree, and fiUpendidce that I have met with, 

 but these lines are almost obsolete, though faintly distinguishable, with an indistinct 

 pale narrow dorsal streak down the centre of the dorsal line. Dorsal line broad ; 

 on each side of it, instead of the two large black spots on each segment more or less 

 distinct or confluent as in the other species I have mentioned, the anterior spot only 

 is present, m the form of a minute black spot on the anterior portion of each segment, 

 below which on each side is a broad line of the ground colour, with an inconspicuous 

 chrome-yellow spot in the fold formed by the hind margin of each segment. The 

 lower row of black spots, two on each segment below this, which the other species 

 I have mentioned possess, is entirely obsolete, being replaced by the gi-ound colom* ; 

 spiracles black, encircled with first a white, then a black narrow ring. No dusky 

 marks above the feet and under-side, except a narrow black line round the base of 

 each fore-leg and apex of each pro-leg. 



Obs. — Except in the obsoleteness of the black spots and lines, which at first sight 

 gives the larva a totally different appearance from the other species I have 

 mentioned, the position and distribution of the markings, even to such minute 

 particulars as the markings of the articulations of the mouth, colour of the 

 spiracles, and the yellow spot in the fold of each segment, are the same in all 

 these species. — T. H. Briggs, Lincoln's Inn : August 15th, 1873. 



Lithosia griseola and stramineola. — Although fully believing that stramineola 

 and griseola are " only varieties of one species," I am not prepared to consider that 

 the fact communicated by the Eev. J. Hellins in your August number proves this to 

 be the case. For this reason : I have repeatedly seen stramineola in cop. with 

 griseola ; sometimes a, ^ griseola with a ? stramineola, sometimes the reverse. From 

 tliis, it will be readily understood that eggs laid by stramineola may produce griseola 

 and intermediate varieties. These intermediate varieties are common where strami- 

 neola and griseola are found in any numbers. The most conclusive proof, in my 

 o])'m\o\\, t\iKt stramineola and griseola belong to one species, would be to obtain 

 griseola from ova, the produce of a ^ and ? stramineola, or vice versa. Next year, 

 doubtless I shall again find pairs of stramineola and pairs oi griseola; if so, perhaps 



