LARENTin^E—LYGRIS. 247 



anterior legs only, and elevates the prolegs a little, quite free, 

 (t'ondensed from Mr. Buckler's account.) 



September and October, on wild balsam {luipatiens noli-mc- 

 iangen-), feeding upon the flowers, seeds, seed-capsules, aud 

 the more tender leaves. It is said to avoid bright sunshine 

 even so far as to retreat to the ground, and has been collected 

 by gathering up the rubbish from the surface of the earth 

 under its food-plants, possibly there feeding on the seeds 

 which the plant so violently scatters. It feeds up very 

 quickly when supplied with its natural food, but although it 

 will eat cultivated balsams, does not thrive upon them. The 

 Rev. A. M. Moss says that it shows a decided preference for 

 the green seeds in the pods, and that it is very similar in 

 appearance to a long seed-pod, and generally rests in the 

 same position under a leaf, holding on to a midrib with the 

 head hanging down ; also that the seed-pods bend when 

 eaten into, instead of bursting as usual. 



Pupa nearly half an inch long, plump, wing-covers rather 

 prominently developed, their rays distinct ; the abdomen 

 convexly tapering to a pointed tip, which is furnished with 

 two small converging spines ; the surface has a fine punctate 

 roughness, aud the colour is light ochreous-brown, rather 

 shining. In a loose silken cocoon among the dead leaves, or 

 in the ground. 



In this condition through the winter, sometimes lying over 

 until the second or third year. 



Having no personal acquaintance with this moth in the 

 living state, I will quote the remarks of the Rev. A. M. Moss: 

 " On July 4, 1892, I went to a spot in Westmoreland where 

 I had an idea that I had seen the food-plant. I found it at 

 once, and within five minutes was rewarded, to my intense 

 joy aud more intense astonishment, for a beautiful fresh 

 specimen of this moth flew up out of the balsam aud settled 

 on a nettle leaf before my eyes. I succeeded in catching two 

 more that afternoon, missing another. I paid several more 



