1885.1 273 



Notes on Lepidoptera. — The following notes refer to some very common species 

 of Lepidoptera, bvit toucli on certain points in their development, which seemed to 

 me worth recording. 



Dichonia {Agriopis) aprilina. — The egg is laid in the autumn, but I cannot 

 describe its appearance at first ; early in February I described it as follows : egg of 

 the usual Noctua shape, but flattened, being about -85 mm. in transverse measurement, 

 and only 'S mm. vertically : it has fourteen or fifteen rather blunt ribs, which extend 

 from the waist to the apex, and which appear somewhat bossed by the crossing of 

 the transverse reticulation ; the colouring is very pretty, the ribs being white, and 

 the intermediate spaces black, as is also the central spot on the top ; this arrange- 

 ment makes one think of the licheny look both of the full-grown larva, and also of 

 the imago. 



The newly-hatched larva which, with me, appeared during the last week in 

 March, is rather over 2 mm. in length, stoutish, with large jet-black shining head, 

 collar also shining black, the body smooth, in colour dingy drab, with a paler spiracular 

 line, the usual dots inconspicuous, each having a short dark bristle. On supplying 

 my larvae with unopened oak-buds, I found they soon bored their way into them, 

 eating out the interior, and lodging in the chamber thus made ; they presently grew 

 fat, and looked like comfortable Tortrix larvse. 



By the middle of April they had moulted, but had not changed their dress very 

 much ; a larva of the length of 7 mm. I described as follows : head, collar, and anal 

 plate black ; the skin very glossy, in colour pale brown, with an indistinct paler 

 mottling ; the usual dots paler, and very small ; the spiracles black. 



At the end of April, however, another moult produced a decided change ; the 

 length now 9 mm., the head black, the body whitish, with a pattern of eight broad 

 dorsal diamonds in black freckles, darkest on the sides, with some dull orange freckles 

 mixed ; the dorsal line white, but broken into short streaks ; the usual spots small 

 and black ; the spiracles black ; the larva now appears to feed without concealment 

 on the opening buds ; and from this time the adult pattern and colouring become 

 more developed. 



As I noticed above, it is interesting to observe that there are three periods in 

 the life-history of this species, at which it exhibits mimicry of lichens, the egg (at 

 least, some time after deposition), the maturing larva, and the imago ; while it is not 

 less interesting to mark the great change in habit and appearance exhibited by the 

 growing larva. 



Bryohota (Hadena) protea. — Egg laid in autumn, described in month of Feb- 

 ruary ; of depressed Noctua form, 'Qh mm. in transverse measurement, and '45 mm. 

 vertically ; there are sixteen ribs, of which eight are stout, and come to the central 

 button on the top, and the other eight stop short in the intermediate spaces ; the 

 transverse reticulation shallow and fine, and knobbing the ribs in its passage ; the 

 ground-colour of the shell is dull brown, on which the glistening white ribs show 

 out distinctly, giving a very pretty effect. 



The newly-hatched larva (March 15th, 1884), is about I'S mm. in length, with 

 large black shining head, from which the body tapers to the tail, the colour a faint 

 violet-tinged grey all over, the usual dots inconspicuous ; the larva makes its way 

 into an oak-bud, and lives and feeds within : in three weeks' time the colour has 

 become brownish, the head and collar still black, the figure slender ; after a moult 



