THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 49 



amongst the brandies of forest trees, and feeds on humble 

 herbs, like the Orthosidae : emanating from so high an au- 

 thority I cannot doubt the statement, but the fact has never 

 con)e within the range of my own observation. It changes 

 to a pupa beneath the surface of the earth. — Edward Newinan. 

 Description of tJie Larta of Cosniia Irapeziiia. — The 

 female lays her eggs on Quercus Robur (oak), in August, and 

 less commonly on Carpinus betuhis (hovnbeaui) ; the larvae 

 abound in the following May, particularly from the middle 

 to the end of the month, and beginning of June. Although 

 doubtless occasionally feeding on leaves, they seem to prefer 

 animal food, devouring with great greediness the larvae of 

 other Lepidoptera, particularly those of Cheimatobia bru- 

 mata, which absolutely swarm in our woods, forests and 

 gardens during the entire month of May and the beginning 

 of June. It neither feigns death nor rolls in a ring when 

 rudely dislodged by the beating-stick, but falls at full length 

 into the umbrella, amid a shower of the larva; of C. brumata, 

 which the same stroke has also dislodged : in this predica- 

 ment it instantly catches sight of the first larva that ventures 

 to crawl, and starts in immediate pursuit, and an exciting 

 race ensues, in which the Cosmia is not always the victor, 

 the Cheimatobia souietimes escaping through sheer supe- 

 riority of speed : the carnivorous larva, however, generally 

 gains the day, and it is curious to observe that he does not 

 seize the leaf-feeder by the hinder part of the body, but 

 never slackens his pace until his head is abreast of the 

 other's neck, which he then seizes with savage eagerness, 

 reminding one strongly of a deerhound pulling down a stag, 

 or at least to the representations of this cruel feat by the 

 inimitable Landseer. When the first paralyzing grip is 

 given it is all over with the leaf-feeder; there is scarcely a 

 struggle ; the Cheimatobia submits to its fate, and the Cos- 

 mia continues his repast, until oue vronders at his power of 

 consumption : when introduced into the collecting-box with 

 any other larva, a somewhat similar scene ensues, but the 

 chance of escape for the leaf-feeder is gone, and his destruc- 

 tion is inevitable : I have rarely, if ever, opened a box, in 

 which a Cosmia and Cheiu)atobia have been enclosed 

 together, without finding that the latter has fallen a prey to 

 the former. The head of the Cosmia larva is manifestly 



