THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



No. 57.] SEPTEMBER, MDCCCLXVIII. [Price 6d. 



Life-JiiMonj of Scotosia vetiilata. — The life-history of this 

 species is not only interesting, but very nnnsual : it would 

 appear that the eggs are laid about Midsummer, on the 

 woody stems of Rharanus catharticus (the buckthorn), and 

 that they remain unhatched until the first week in the fol- 

 lowing May : these proceedings are inferred rather than 

 proved by the fact that at that period the young larvae, then 

 perfectly black, may be found mining the young slioots 

 which are then just making their appearance: the presence 

 of these youthful destroyers is indicated by the flaccid and 

 drooping condition of the succulent twigs ; a week later the 

 little larvae emerge from this natural shelter, and provide one 

 somewhat more artificial, by fastening two or three of the 

 young leaves together and concealing themselves in the inte- 

 rior, their colour still remaining perfectly black : if one of 

 these retreats be opened during the third week, the contained 

 larva will be found rather more gaily coloured, and will 

 remind the entomologist of those of Scotosia certata and 

 Ypsipetes elutata, both of which I have previously described; 

 it is now rather stout and very sluggish ; it continues to con- 

 struct a dwelling for itself, either by rolling up a single leaf 

 or by fastening two leaves together face to face ; some of 

 their retreats are made with remarkable care, others are more 

 loosely constructed ; the larvae seem never to bite the edge 

 of the leaf, like the generality of caterpillars, but feed on the 

 parenchyma only, leaving the veins and one of the exterior 

 coats of the leaf entirely untouched : this depauperating pro- 

 cess causes discoloration of the leaf, so that the presence of 

 a larva may be readily delected, and it is at this period that 

 they are found most readily. During its whole life this 

 species conceals itself so effectually from the scrutinizing 

 eyes of the entomologist, that it is difficult to observe it in a 

 natural position : when exposed it feigns death, bends its 



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