1874.] 213 



Notodonta bicolora in Ireland. — I am greatly obliged to my friend, Mr. StevciiB, 

 for defending the memory of the late P. Bouchard. I knew the man somewhat inti- 

 mately for many years (in fact, he was my instructor in entomology) , and I do not 

 believe that tliere exists a more honest or truthful entomologist, be he gentle or 

 simple. The fact that N. bicolora has not been taken by other collectors proves 

 nothing, for numbers of rare insects disappear for years, or turn up once in a lifetime. 

 Passing over such instances as Oeometra smaragdaria, Paclmohia alpina, Noctna 

 sohrina (lately captured by the Messrs. Hutchinson on the very line of trees where 

 it was taken by Bouchard some dozen years ago), I would but mention Eupithecia 

 egenaria, taken by Miss Sarah Hutchinson at Loughton, June 12th, 1869, on the 

 occasion of her solitary visit to the forest, and now in my possession. I suppose, 

 had an unfortunate dealer caught this insect, its foreign origin would have been 

 considered by many as certain. — Batteeshell Gill, 9, Cambridge Terrace, Regent's 

 Park : January, 1874. 



Description of the larva, S^'c, of Ephestia eliitella. — After two unsuccessful 

 attempts to rear the larva of thiy species to the perfect insect, for verification of my 

 figures, I have at length been successful, thanks to the unwearied kindness of Mr. 

 Evan John in supplying me again and again with larvae. 



Those from which the moths were bred arrived on December 23rd, 1872, and 

 were feeding on dog-biscuit, eating out little cavities or cells, and masking their 

 operations with a web covered with frass of the same colour as the biscuit itself. 



Two larvae of the same date were found on an old thick cloth coat, and the 

 piece of blackish cloth on which they were was cut out and sent with them ; how- 

 ever, on the 28th, I noticed on turning out these two larvte from the webs they had 

 partly covered themselves with, that the cloth seemed to be but little gnawed, I 

 therefore placed some crumbs of biscuit beneath the bit of cloth, so as to be in 

 contact with the larvae, and in the course of the following day I found they were 

 spinning fresh habitations, and uniting some of the biscuit to the cloth. 



The other larvae after examination remained from this time in their cells un- 

 molested, and apparently content, but in the course of March, 1873, I found tw(5 or 

 three wandering about the top of their cage as though in quest of other quarters ; 

 not liking to touch the biscuit, I now twisted up some soft paper into little hollow 

 cones, and put them into the cage, and this provision proved suitable, for I found 

 eventually that all the larvae had spun up in them. The moths came forth from 

 Jidy the 7th to 11th. 



The full-grown larva is little more than three-eighths of an inch in length, 

 cylindrical, not vei'y stout, tapering a little from the third segment towards the 

 head, and a little on the two hinder segments ; it is of a pale flesh colour, without 

 gloss, excepting on the head, the plate behind it, and the anal plate, which are 

 shining and reddish-brown ; the tubercular dots are similarly coloured, and though 

 very minute are yet distinct ; on the side of the tliird and of the twelfth segment 

 is an ocellated spot of blackish-brown with whitish centre ; the plate on the second 

 segment is divided down the back by a thread of flesh colour, otherwise it is without 

 any line. In the immature larva the plates are darker brown, and the body almost 

 colourless, of wax-like texture of skin. 



The pupa is nearly four lines in length, thickest in the middle, but not stout, 



