266 [May, 



Peronea aspersana, Hiib. — The larva of this species cannot be 

 looked upon otherwise than as a nuisance — here, at any rate. On the 

 coast it swarms on the sand-hills, feeding impartially upon Rosa spino- 

 sissima and Poterium sanguisorha in the quarries, also on the Poterium, 

 and, for purposes of deception, no doubt, on Potentilla reptans, the 

 leaflets of which it draws together and gnaws. From the mountains 

 I brought home minute larvae, on the common Torment ill a, and 

 cherished them to full growth, only to be disappointed by the appear- 

 ance of aspersana, and a larva on Potentilla anserina, with the curious 

 habit of gnawing into the mid-rib, and causing the upper leaflets to 

 wither, was reared with equal curiosity, and a similar result. It also 

 forms one of the company of species the larva of which delight to feed 

 in the top shoots of Spir&a ulmaria, when trying to unfold itself, in 

 the Norfolk marshes. The } r oung larva is slender, cylindrical, active, 

 yellowish or pale yellowish-green, with jet-black head, dorsal plate 

 jet-black or blackish-brown, anal plate grey or yellowish with a dark 

 spot. "When older, still slender and active, yellowish-green, or bluish- 

 green with the under-parts yellowish, or dark green, with the head 

 and plates light brown, the latter sometimes black-margined, and, in 

 some of the full-grown larva?, the plates become shining green. 

 Drawing together the leaflets of the above-mentioned plants and 

 gnawing their surfaces ; leaving the shoot when full-grown to spin up 

 among rubbish. Feeding in May and to the middle of June ; emerg- 

 ing in July. 



Peronea SJiepherdana, Steph.— For the larva of' this very local 

 species I am indebted to the kindness of my friend, Mr. W. H. B. 

 Fletcher, who sent a good supply from "Wicken Fen last June. I am 

 thus enabled to describe the variations of this larva, which varieties 

 I certainly expected would prove to belong to more than one species. 

 The larva is not active, cylindrical, but slightly attenuated at each end. 

 AVhen young, whitish, tinged with grey on the back, and with a 

 yellowish internal dorsal blotch about the ninth segment. Spots and 

 hairs hardly discernible, head light brown with dark brown eyes and 

 jaws, dorsal plate black or dark brown, anal plate faintly brownish, 

 anterior legs black. "When full-grown, pea-green, tinged with darker 

 on the back, internal dorsal line visible, pulsating regularly, spots in- 

 visible, hairs distinct, head yellowish-brown, jaws brighter brown, 

 plates pea-green, the dorsal plate having the posterior margin, and the 

 anal, the anterior margin, dotted with blackish. Feet greenish. Or 

 dull whitish, or very pale yellowish, with the entire dorsal region dull 



