THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 27 



is it successful, for some were noticed with the remnants of shell 

 clinging to the fine hairs of the back. The whole operation takes 

 from three-quarters to one and a half hours. 



Larvce. — In the young stage the larva is of a dirty white colour, 

 the head black, being much larger than the second segment. The 

 head and body are covered slightly with very fine silky hairs. 

 After the second moult the caterpillar is grass green in colour, the 

 surface rough, with a darker dorsal line, straight sub-dorsal line, 

 and side line. Head large, with two small crimson-chocolate 

 horns at either side, with two patches on face, head edged with 

 same colour. Anal segment with two straight greenish projections. 

 These markings remained the same throughout all the larval stages 

 of those I reared, there being no tendency to vary, as is the case of 

 other members of this family. The larval stage lasts nearly eight 

 months. Emerged from egg on the 4th of March they did not 

 turn until i6th November. Size, when full fed, 12 lines. 



Habits. — Perhaps a few notes on their habits may be interesting. 

 The caterpillars are very sluggish in their movements, keeping 

 close to the roots during the day. At night they crawl to the top 

 of the grass and feed freely, but when approached with a light 

 leave off at once and become motionless. 



When touched the caterpillar curls the head under the body, 

 and if continued rolls up into a ball and drops, remaining motion- 

 less for some time. While resting the caterpillars are very 

 difficult to detect, adapting themselves so closely to their 

 surroundings that it requires close inspection to see them. When 

 full fed the larva spins a silken cushion to the under side of the 

 leaf, then, attaching itself by the tail, throws off the outer skin. 

 The caterpillar takes about two days to change to the pupa stage. 



Chrysalis. — Size six lines, suspended from food plant. Head 

 truncate ; colour grass green, with a white line round abdomen 

 and the borders of wing cases, and having a double row of white 

 spots along abdomen and thorax. A few days before emergence 

 the chrysalis turned a dull green, the wing cases becoming a light 

 brown. In appearance the chrysalis very much resembles 

 X. Kluggii, the only difference being the white line around 

 abdomen and thorax, which in X. Kluggii is a yellow, black- 

 edged line. Chrysalis inactive, the butterfly appearing about a 

 fortnight later. „ 



The San Jose Scale. — The Victorian Department of Agri- 

 culture has recently issued an illustrated pamphlet dealing with 

 this terrible enemy to the gardener and fruit-grower. As Mr. 

 French says, " this pest must be tackled with a will, at once, and 

 continuously." Any reader suspecting the presence of this insect 

 in his garden should obtain a copy of the pamphlet and follow 

 the directions given therein. 



