104 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



finds a suitable position for passing the winter. This is usually 

 in the upper portion of the stem, two feet from the ground, and 

 at a joint where the pith is solid ; here it remains quiescent 

 through the winter and spring months (usually in little colonies 

 of three or four) until June, at which time it gnaws a passage 

 towards the outside of the stem, leaving a very thin skin entire, 

 and then changes to a pupa. The pupa cases are to be found, 

 sticking out of the stem, after the moth has emerged. 



In order to successfully breed this insect, it is necessary to 

 leave the stems containing the larvse in the open air until they 

 have changed ; they will not pupate in the close atmosphere of a 

 room. During the early months of last year I collected sufficient 

 stems to breed a large number from, but owing to my taking 

 them indoors in May only about half a dozen emerged. 



Although it is the usual habit of the species to hybernate in 

 the stems of its food-plant, there is no doubt a certain percentage 

 do not follow out this practice, but I do not think this is a large 

 one. Some I had in a breeding-cage, on attaining full size, com- 

 menced to wander about in search of something to pass the 

 winter in. I introduced to their notice some rotten wood : this, 

 although one or two availed themselves of it, was evidently not to 

 their taste. I then placed some old parsnip stems in their cage. 

 It was singular to see the eager manner with which they took 

 to these, and in a remarkably short space of time every larva 

 had disappeared in them. 



Full-fed larva : length three lines, of average stoutness, taper- 

 ing to each extremity; head shining jet black; narrow, second 

 segment shining, same colour as body, but bordered behind with 

 two black dashes; these do not quite meet in centre: anal segment 

 darker than remainder of body ; prolegs black ; colour of body 

 yellowish white ; spiracles dark, rather inconspicuous ; whole body 

 thinly shaded with short hairs. 

 Addiscombe, January 28, 1888. 



NORTHERN LEPIDOPTERA IN 1887. 



By J. 13. HODGKINSON. 



I SELDOM breed any large moths, but on April 19th a fine 

 male Notodonta chaonia came out, and a week or two later 

 foui- A^. trimacula ; one male, without wings, so tumbled about 



