46 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



supplied the larvae with plantain and groundsel ; they eat each 

 plant readily. They commenced to pupate on November 20th, 

 amongst the rootlets of the groundsel, upon the surface of the 

 earth, and between plantain leaves ; one spun a neat cocoon of 

 dark grey silk upon the muslin cover. When spun upon the 

 soil the cocoon is soft and loose, but tough. The larva does not 

 change for over a fortnight after spinning ; the pupa is nearly 

 white at first, gradually changing to a lively light red. I have over 

 a hundred pupa, so far, and many larvae of all sizes still feeding. 



As previously mentioned (Entom. xxxiii. 272), I took this 

 species upon the wing in abundance during September ; it 

 occurred upon clematis flowers right up to October 21st. Some 

 nights scarcely any were seen, others it was plentiful ; three of 

 us obtained over eighty one evening ; worn ones were numerous 

 and unmolested. 



It is usually stated that this second brood is smaller than 

 the first, but this does not seem to be correct, as most of mine 

 quite equalled them in size. The only difference I find is that 

 they are much darker ; the shades of grey in fresh specimens 

 vary considerably ; a few are uniformly dark, with stigmata 

 and lines indistinct ; some are mottled grey, stigmata clear, 

 lines distinct and strongly dentated ; others are quite brownish, 

 in fact a few would pass for C. hlanda were it not for their white 

 hind wings ; one or two very pale and yellowish, quite fresh, 

 but all specimens as they get old are extremely pale, and with 

 ragged fringes. The best I took is very light all over, with 

 thorax and body nearly white. The hind wings vary also ; a 

 few females are brown all over, others have the nervules dark, 

 also the borders of the wings, the latter narrowly edged with a 

 clear yellow line before the dark fringes ; in most specimens the 

 centre of the wings contain a remnant of a line, generally three 

 or four dots, which are more conspicuous in this species than 

 any other of this group that I am acquainted with. 



The stigmata vary very much; in some specimens that I 

 have they are of nearly equal size, some very large and clear, 

 one scarcely showing any at all ; but most are filled in with a 

 slightly darker shade than the ground, the only exceptions being 

 the pale varieties, and the dark reddish specimens. 



Upon the clematis flowers there were many large grey 

 spiders roaming about in search of prey, and it does not seem 

 possible that they could manage to catch and hold such large 

 game as a Caradmia, but many an anihiifua, and even one 

 P. meticidom, fell victims to them. I saw in many instances a 

 moth being firmly held by the head, the part the spider always 

 attacks; it kills the moth, and eats out the interior, leaving 

 only the wings and abdomen. The meticulusa was very lively^ 

 but did not escape. 



Eingwood, Hants: January, 1901. 



