April, 1805. 1 ,m 



NOTES ON THE LARVA, &c., OF TEPHROSIA EXTERSARIA. 

 BY C. FENN, F.E.S. 



With regard to Mr. Porritt's interesting article on tlic earlier 

 stages of T. exiersaria on pp. 65-67 of this volume, I should be glad 

 if you will allow me to make a few remarks. 



As far back as August, IS75, I reared a big brood of this species, 

 and although I quite agree with Mr. Porritt's description of the two 

 forms of the full-fed larva, yet I noticed so many intermediate varieties, 

 that I should only designate them as the extremes of its variation. I 

 was at the time chiefly engaged in studying the larvae of our Lepido- 

 ptera, and took careful notes of all constant larval variation, in some 

 species the permanent varieties being very numerous. I append the 

 description I took at the time ; also of the pupa and the mode of 

 pupation. 



iarra— elongate, generally with slight enlargement or transverse dorsal promi- 

 nences on the 5th and 9th segments, especially on the latter. Head rounded, not 

 highly polished ; two very small anal points. Dull hazel or cliocolate-brown, often 

 tinged with green ; the sides broadly blotched witli blaekish-brown or very dark 

 ferruginous, which colour is often continued on the back, and then forms an ill- 

 defined broad bar on each segment. An indistinct series of pale quadrate dorsal 

 spots, one at the termination of each segment, and a row of white or whitish 

 subdorsal dots. 5th and 9tli segments always transversely barred with very dark 

 blackish-brown or dark ferruginous. Spiracles black, surrounded with whitish. 

 Head dull greenisli, dusted with brown, face paler. 2nd, 3rd and anal segments 

 tinged with green. Ventral surface hazel-brown, with a row of conspicuous whitish 

 or yellowish spots of unequal size, the spaces between the 2nd and -ith segments and 

 between the anal prologs bright yellow. 



Pupa stout and short, anal extremity with a small curved spike. Light reddish- 

 bi'own, wing-cases,^&c., dark grass-green. Segmental divisions and dorsal shade 

 greyish-brown. Spun up under moss or immediately below the surface of tlie 

 ground ; enclosed in a slight silken cocoon mixed with fragments of moss or grains 

 of sand. 



Like many of the GeometrcB, this species is liable to vary in the 

 structure of the larvae, some individuals being almost without the 

 dorsal protuberances. The same thing occurs in other genera of 

 Gcomctrce, and notably in Ennomos. 



My larva? fed u[) on birch and changed to pupa; at the end of 

 August, 1875. In later years I have repeatedly bred the insect, but 

 generally from larva) beaten from hazel in September. The moth used 

 to be tolerably common in our home woods, but seems now to have 

 become scarcer. 



Eversden House, Burnt Ash Mill, Lee, S.E. : 

 March 2/»/, 181)5. 



