NYMPHALID^. 151 



Larva, 1| inch long, stout ; with large horny head, set 

 with bristles. All the segments, from the third, having rows 

 of short blunt spines, branched, or rather set with bristles ; 

 and, in addition, I'ascicles of hairs on the second, third, and 

 fourth segments ; also a few hairs scattered over the body. 

 Colour blackish, slightly freckled with yellowish on the back ; 

 dorsal line velvety black, edged with yellow ; a faint sub- 

 dorsal line composed of yellowish freckles; a waved line 

 above the spiracles, which are black ringed with yellow ; and 

 a yellow stripe below them ; the foremost spines black, the rest 

 pale yellow with blackish branches ; hairs pale; belly dark grey, 

 with a reddish streak above each reddish-brown leg. Another 

 variety has the ground colour dull greyish-drab ; dorsal line 

 the same, edged with yellowish ; the lateral lines more dis- 

 tinct ; and the spines pinkish with pale tips. (Buckler.) 



On thistles — Onojw^'don acanthium. Cnicns lancmUdus, 

 Canhms nutans, G. arvcnsis, and others ; the young larva 

 drawing together a small leaf or two low down on the plant, 

 and eating out the drawn-together leaves, with the exception 

 of their prickles ; then, making another domicile, eating its 

 walls, and so on, getting higher up the plant with each 

 remove, and leaving conspicuous evidence of its presence in 

 the old nests, which contain a residuum of excrement. Full 

 fed in a fortnight or three weeks. Has also been found by 

 Mr. Hawes on nettle, and Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher met with 

 several on flowers of EcJiium vulgarc. A more unexpected 

 food-plant was mallow {Malva syhcstris), upon which Dr. 

 Knaggs found a larva at Folkestone, and the Rev. E. Horton 

 others in another locality, drawing together a leaf in each 

 case so as to form a sort of purse. But the most extra- 

 ordinary circumstance in connection with these larvae on the 

 mallow was that, instead of having the spines, as usual, dis- 

 tinct and conspicuous, they were densely covered with grey 

 hairs, as long as the spines, and almost concealing them. 

 All doubt as to their identity was removed by the suc- 

 cessful rearing of at least one butterfly. When the larva 

 is full grown it makes a new and larger habitation 



