1868. 185 



Notes on the Iwrva of Pterophorus plagiodactylus. — I have translated and abridged 

 the following from Milliere's Iconographie. etc., part 4, p. 209 : — 



" Larvae, almost cylindrical, becoming slowly narrower from the head to the 

 last segment. The first segment is plainly less raised than the second and third. 

 It is of a dull green on the back and sides, passing into a glaucous green beneath. 

 The dorsal vessel, broad and continuous, is of a claret colour ; the spiracular line 

 is green, very little paler than the ground-colour, and is narrow, undulated. The 

 whitish-grey hairs, which are abundant and rather long, so cover the larva that 

 the stigmata cannot be seen even by the help of a good glass. The belly is without 

 marks. The head is small, globular, retractUe, of a testaceous yellow, and sprinkled 

 on the top with a number of small black dots invisible to the naked eye. The 

 three pairs of anterior legs are black, the others of the same colour as the body. 

 This little larvaa, which is very slow in its movements, feeds on the flowers of 

 Glohularia alypmn, using no concealment." Milliere has found it abundantly in 

 December in the neighbourhood of Hyeres. It changes to a pupa in January, and 

 the perfect insect appears four or five weeks after. " The pupa is conico-cylindrical, 

 slightly elongated, brown and hairy." Then follows the description of the perfect 

 insect, which need not here be translated, saving the part which refers to the variety 

 MilUeridactyla, a variety which was the cause of much confusion to myself, with 

 regard to the diagnosis of the insect, and may perhaps be the same also to others. 



" This variety," says Milliere, " is only distinguished from the type of which 

 it has exactly the general appearance, by a brown spot placed at the extremity of 

 the upper division of the fore-wing. This very characteristic spot is large, oblong, 

 rounded on the external side, surrounded on the right and left by a greyish-white 

 border, and rests on the costa at the internal border of the upper division of the 

 wing." 



Milliere suggests that it may feed on other species of Glohtdaria besides 0. 

 alypum, which is an essentially southern plant. As it is found in England, and 

 apparently not very rare in the Lake district, (since owing to the kindness of Mr. 

 Hodgldnson I have a numerous series from there), it must feed on other flowers 

 besides Glohularia. Probably the larvae would scarcely occur in our island in the 

 month of December. Might it not be found on the primrose in March or April ? — 

 E. C. E. Jordan, M.D., 35, Harborne Koad, Edgbaston, Birmingham. 



Note on Ellopia fasciaria. — This insect occurs under two distinct forms, the 

 one our common fasciara, the other of a bright green colour, but otherwise exactly 

 similar. To this variety the name prasinaria is given. 



Milliere has proved their identity by rearing an intermediate variety, which 

 he figures. He seems to attribute the variation to food ; alleging that fasciaria 

 feeds on Pinus sylvestris, prasinaria on Pinus abies. Here, then, is a case on 

 which experiments may be made. — Id, 



Dianthoecia capsincola at home in a town garden. — Having a small garden, I 

 planted in it, amongst other wild flowers, a few plants of Lychnis vespertina. 

 Although in the precincts of a smoky town like Birmingham, the very next year 

 after their arrival they were tenanted by Diamthcecia capsincola, and it haa often 



