THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 321 
engaged that they would allow me to draw the branch 
sufficiently near to minutely watch their operations; but in 
no instance could I see that they carried on their work 
systematically, or removed the bark in circles: they only 
appeared to cut it with their mandibles to suck out the sap. 
— Henry Reeks. 
Description of the Larva of Agdistes Bennetit. —In June 
and July Agdistes Bennetii is very plentiful around our 
island, flying over the Statice Limonium, which grows 
abundantly in our salt-marshes. I have often carefully 
watched the female, but have never been able to detect her 
in the act of depositing eggs, so that when or how this 
is done I cannot say. Last autumn I detected small green 
larve feeding on the leaves of the Limonium, which I 
thought must belong to the above species, but they were so 
unlike any other Lepidopterous larva that | am acquainted 
with that I determined to let them alone until the spring, 
when they would be larger. On the first of May last I 
walked to their head-quarters, and, after a careful search, 
succeeded in turning out about two dozen larve. They were 
at rest upon their food-plant, but fel! off on the slightest 
disturbance, and so much resembled the Limonium in colour 
that it was only by searching for the, plants, which showed 
signs of being eaten, I was able to find them. The larva, 
when full fed, is about 8 lines long; the head very small: 
and when the creature is at rest or disturbed it is drawn 
under the second segment, which is provided with two horn- 
like projections, and covers the head like a cowl. The third 
segment is the largest, and from this the body tapers 
gradually to the anal extremity; the last segment but one 
being provided with a horn, as in the larva of the Sphingide. 
Colour of the head brownish green, six small black spots, 
[ocelli] on each cheek, head sparingly covered with pale 
obtuse sete, tips of the horns pink; the body bright green, 
shagreened with light and dark spots; anal segment green, 
with a ray of six long bristles, which point backwards. 
When about to change to a pupa the larva crawls to the top 
of the leaf, and spins across it numerous silken threads, to 
which it attaches itself by the anal claspers; and in this 
position remains about two days. The colour gradually 
becomes brown, the skin assuming a shrivelled appearance, 
