202 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



While recently figuring the fully-grown larva of H. sylvanus, 

 I carefully watched it under a lens to ascertain the exact way in 

 which the pellets of excreta are ejected. This enabled me to 

 make a momentary sketch of the performance, reproduced in the 

 accompanying Plate, fig. 3. Just previous to the act the larva 

 crawls backwards along its tubular dwelling (composed of either 

 two or more blades of grass spun together in the form of a 

 cylinder) until its extremity is either at or slightly protruded 

 beyond the tube ; it then raises its anal segments, elevating the 

 plate or flap, and evacuates the ffeces, which remain adhering 

 to the anus. The comb is then brought down to the rim of the 

 anal orifice, and remains so fixed for a moment or two, as if to 

 obtain a firm pressure with the tips of the tines or teeth ; then, 

 apparently with considerable power, it is suddenly released, spring- 

 like, the comb flies up with a violent jerk, casting the pellet with 

 remarkable force in an upward direction. In order to learn the 

 distance the larva can cast the excrements, I placed three 

 examples in a vertical position on a white cloth, and found the 

 distance they fell (without rolling) between 2 ft. 6 in. and 3 ft., 

 the furthest being exactly 3 ft. 



It will be seen by fig. 2 (posterior view) the comb consists of 

 eighteen asymmetrical teeth, solidified over the greater portion, 

 then separated and turned slightly outwards at the tips ; they 

 gradually decrease in length from the long central ones, the 

 whole forming a semi-ovate structure. The middle tooth or tine 

 is dentated, the others being simple pointed. The colour is pale 

 ochreous yellow, the four longest having black tips. Fig. 1 shows 

 the anal flap and comb slightly raised (lateral view) . 



NOTES ON BUTTERFLIES OF HONG KONG AND 



JAPAN. 



By Major B. Tulloch, F.E.S. 



The most curious butterfly I have taken at Hong Kong is 

 Pieris rapce. Not, of course, that the insect itself is curious, 

 but the fact of this species being captured so far south, right in 

 the Tropics, is curious. I have never heard of it having been 

 seen or taken before in Hong Kong. The insect was quite perfect, 

 evidently just emerged from the chrysalis. It approaches in 

 appearance a small specimen of P. rapce var. crucivora, with a 

 well-marked yellow basal streak on the under side of the 

 hind wing. I captured it quite accidentally, under the impres- 

 sion that it was a small specimen of Huphina nerissa, dry 

 forms of which I was trying to catch. The capture was made 

 on December 12th, 1912. The other butterflies on the wing at 

 the spot in which I took it were P. helenus, Leptocircus curius var. 



