ON THE LARVAE OF CERTAIN BRITISH MOTES. 123 



second appeared March 28th, 1899, having been two winters in 

 pupa, a peculiarity often occurring, and just as partially, with 

 many of our spring moths, regardless of out-door temperature, 

 as Endromis versicolor, Saturnia carpini, Asphalia flavicornis, 

 Nyssia zonaria, and Tephrosia crepuscularia (bistortata) = T. 

 biundularia. The following description, from my note-book, of 

 the larva of A. nabeculosa, just before pupation, may be inter- 

 esting : — " Head pale green. Body apple-green ; a dorsal line 

 of white-yellow spots from 4th to 12th segment. Segments, be- 

 ginning with the 3rd, spotted dorsally with pale yellow ; an 

 oblique primrose-yellow mark on each side of the 4th segment, 

 a similar mark above each anal clasper, and one also straight 

 across from side to side on the 12th segment. Spiracles white 

 with black rings. Legs reddish brown ; claspers apple-green, 

 each with a faint black circular mark." 



Agrotis ashworthii. — Another difficult species. Fifty-three 

 eggs began to hatch on July 22nd, 1897. They are spherical, 

 dull whitish after a few days, being first white. They are 

 closely ribbed. There is an apical irregularly-shaped blotch of 

 reddish brown, and an irregular blotched and sometimes inter- 

 rupted ring of the same colour round the widest part of the egg. 

 All had hatched by the 25th. Treatment as in A. nubeculosa, 

 (1) and (2). Food, dandelion ; but I find the broad-leaved plan- 

 tain best when the larvae are well grown. On hatching the larvae 

 are pale brown, with a slight scattering of black short hairs. On 

 the 25th those first hatched had changed to dull green. They 

 looped like geometers. Up to this period they are semi- 

 transparent, with a brownish head. The 2nd segment is 

 unmarked ; the 3rd is bounded by two rings of closely-arranged 

 black spots dividing the segment from the 2nd and 4th. After 

 the 3rd each segment has, dorsally, four black spots, two near 

 the front and two near the rear, the rear couple being farther 

 away from each other than the two in front. When making this 

 observation (through a strong lens) the larvse raced up to the 

 edge of the tumbler. One got outside and quickly dropped, 

 using the thread of silk from its mouth common to so many 

 caterpillars. A strong breeze did the rest, and I lost it. 



July 30th. — About half the number of larvse reached the 

 second stage. Head pale brown, with a distinct pink shade. 

 Dorsal surface dull pale green, but darker towards the sides ; a 

 paler indistinct median line, and a similar line on each side of 

 it. A pale whitish green subdorsal stripe along the middle of 

 each side, then a dull pale green under surface. Legs and 

 claspers correspond with colour of dorsal surface. The black 

 spots are smaller in comparison to the increased size of the 

 caterpillar. 



Aug. 10th. — Third stage reached by about a third. Head 

 pale brown. Dorsal area pea-green, smoky green, or dull green. 



