276 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



insect causing the grass to bend over. The butterfly held on to 

 the grass by the hind legs only, the middle pair being folded 

 across the thorax. By this device the abdomen is brought as 

 close as possible to the grass blade. The insect then curved its 

 abdomen almost in a circle and deposited two eggs, touching 

 each other on the grass parallel to the longer axis of the grass 

 blades. As the butterfly flew up the grass went back with 

 a jerk. 



Again, on June 23rd about noon, six females of this butterfly 

 were observed depositing. They all assumed the attitude already 

 described. Two of the females deposited respectively a single 

 egg and two eggs on the inflorescence of Koeleria gracilis. A third 

 deposited two eggs on the inflorescence of Poa pratensis. A 

 fourth, four eggs on a blade of Stipa (probably capillata), laid in 

 a row touching each other, and parallel to the longer axis of the 

 blade. A fifth, a single egg on a flower stalk of Asperula 

 ajnanchica. The sixth female deposited five eggs on a plant 

 of wild asparagus {A. officinalis), again laid in a row, and all 

 touching each other. In our previous article we recorded the 

 fact that a female had been observed by Miss Wertheimstein to 

 deposit on Festuca sulcata, and that the larva had been found 

 feeding on this plant. 



On August 23rd, 1912, the various plants of different grasses 

 containing the eggs deposited between June 10th and July 5th 

 were carefully examined, and to our surprise we found several 

 larvae had been feeding, and were considerably grown and green 

 in colour, the grass selected by the larvffi being Poa annua, 

 although they were supplied with different kinds of Festuca and 

 other grasses. They had eaten large pieces out of the edges of 

 the P. annua blades. 



All the young larvae in our possession hitherto had immedi- 

 ately entered into hibernation upon emergence from the egg. 

 The larvae were in various stages, several had apparently only 

 just started feeding; a large number were perfectly quiet, resting 

 close to the egg shells, and had neither eaten nor moved since 

 hatching. Also many were resting on the dead Festuca blades, 

 which they closely resemble in colour. 



Upon placing a number of larvae on fresh plants potted up, 

 some pots containing mixed plants of Festuca and P. annua, we 

 noticed some of the larger larvae almost immediately started 

 feeding on the P. annua. 



On August 29th one larva had fixed for moulting, and moulted 

 the first time on September 1st, 1912. 



Shortly before first moult it measures 4-75 mm. long. The 

 ground colour is a clear light green, with fine medio-dorsal, sub- 

 dorsal, spiracular and lateral olive-brown lines, and a broad 

 super-spiracular stripe of the same colour. Head and legs pale 

 ochreous-greenish, claspers green. 



