THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 181 



property of changing the white transverse lines of E. prasi- 

 naria into tlie bluish gray lines which we find in E. fasciaria." 

 (Guenee, ix. 131). 1 think the last argument unavailing, but 

 the question still remains, How is it that while E. fasciaria 

 is common in England, E. prasinaria does not occur at all ? 

 — Edward Newman. 



Life-history of E it pitJiecia reclangulala. — The eggs are 

 laid in June and July, principally on the under side of the 

 terminal shoots of the low-growing branches of espalian apple 

 trees, in gardens, without respect to variety ; the young larvae 

 emerge when the blossom-buds are swelling previously to 

 bursting open, and then eat their way into the still unopened 

 flower, and feed on its stamens and pistils ; they tie the 

 petals fast together, and thus form little dwellings, in which 

 they lie snugly ensconced ; and, thus concealed, they de- 

 vour the furniture of their lodging, and as soon as this is 

 exhausted they move freely to another bud, and serve it in 

 the same way. The larva is semitransparent, and varying in 

 colour from whitish yellow or whitish green to green, with a 

 variablj'-coloured, rather broad, medio-dorsal stripe, often 

 pinkish or reddish : it is about six lines in length ; the head 

 and anal segments are rather narrow. When the apple-bloom 

 is over, the larva descends to the ground, and changes to a 

 pupa, beneath the surface of the earth, in a slight web. 

 [The thorax and wing-cases of the pupa are yellow suffused 

 with olive, the abdomen tapering, the lower divisions and 

 the tip blood-red. — H. H. Crewe, Zool. 7107.] The moth 

 appears on the wing in June and July. In the North of Lan- 

 cashire and in Westmoreland, where wild crab and "wassel" 

 apple trees abound in the woods, I have seen this species 

 abundant in August and September. Careful autumn pruning 

 and burning the reluse will be a partial remedy : the blue tit- 

 mouse will eat thousands of the larvae, and should be pro- 

 tected and encouraged. — C. S. Gregaon. 



Life-history of Noctua conjlua. — The eggs are laid in July 

 on various low plants : the larva is polyphagous, but prefers 

 Silene acaulis and the species of Taraxacum. The head is 

 small and almost spherical ; the body rather obese, smooth, 

 and having the l-2th segment slightly tumid dorsally. Colour 

 of the head pale brown, the face having two conspicuous 

 crescentic black markings placed back to back, that is, with 



