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fen haunting species. I had hoped to have obtained more information about its 

 earlier stages, but, after waiting since 1870, I have thought it best to publish what I 

 know ; so few feu collectors seeming to care about larvae. 



Two pieces of Arundo phragmites were sent to me on June 21st by Mr. Vaughan, 

 each containing a larva of this species. The reeds appeared to have been cut rather 

 low down towards the base, as they were not green and bore no fresh leaf, but were 

 of a pale buff tint, somewhat like cane in textui-c, though on some parts there were 

 remains of old dried leaf-cuticle of a whity-brown or pale brownish-grey tint ; the 

 pieces had been cut with a knot left at either end ; the length between the knots 

 inhabited by a larva measured about four and tliree-eighths to four and a-half inches, the 

 diameter three-eighths of an inch ; the sign of a tenant consisted of two orifices 

 plugged from within ; the upper hole by which the imago escaped was five-sixteenths 

 of an inch from the knot, and the oblong hole itself a quarter of an incli in length in 

 a perpendicular direction, and its breadth a little more than one-eighth of an inch, 

 spun over with gi-ey silk, behind which were particles of pith adhering* ; the lower 

 hole was not quite in a line with that above, though both holes could be seen at 

 once ; its distance from the lower knot half an inch, its length nearly a quarter of an 

 inch ; the outline of the orifice was oblique and irregular, it being, in fact, com- 

 posed of two perforations, the smallest, below, having an excavated channel under a 

 small piece of the reed cuticle, which led to the larger perforation ; this hole was 

 stopped with grey silk from within, and altogether appeard less conspicuous than the 

 other above described. 



One of the larvse, which was extracted from its stem for the purpose of being 

 figured, died on the 25th of Jmie, the other was only looked at, and, the split in the 

 reed which had been made for that purpose being carefully bound up again, it went 

 safely through its changes, and appeared as a moth on July 23rd. 



The full-grown larva was of the usual Noctua form, one and one-eighth of an 

 inch in length, moderately, but not very, stout, tapered a little just at each end, 

 cylindrical, all the legs well developed ; it was of a decpish flesh colour, the skin, 

 witliout much gloss, of a wax-like texture in appearance ; the face and lobes of the 

 head were dark brown and shining, between them on the crown the skin was pale 

 flesh colour ; the shining plate on the second segment was of rather a deeper flesh tint, 

 and dorsally divided by a line of paler ; the plate on the anal flap was of a shining 

 pale brownish tint, and semi-transparent ; the dorsal vessel jiist visible as a stripe of 

 a tint of flesh colour barely darker than the ground : two parallel lines of faint 

 whitish flesh colour ran rather interruptedly along the • spiracular region, dimly 

 suggestive of the branchial appai*atus beneath the skin ; the oval spiracles were dark 

 grey outlined with black ; the warty tubercular spots were shining, of a pale brown 

 colour, each furnished with a very fine hair ; the antei'ior legs spotted with pale 

 brown ; the ventral and anal legs greyish, tipped with darkish brown. 



The pupa, judging from the empty skin, seemed to be lying free in the interior 

 of the reed stem, head uppermost ; its length a little more than seven-eighths of an 

 inch, rather slender, stoutest about the thorax, the wing cases short in comparison 

 with the length of the abdomen, which had its segments well divided, and was 



* Mr. Vaughan's impression is that the larva of geminipuncta does not quite cut through 

 the reed .stem, but leaves a thin film of the cuticle over the upper orifice, as a protection, which, 

 soiiietimes, from a cause unknown, is wanting. — W. B. 



