Notes on the Larva of Trochilium andrmiBfoTme. 475 



until it has been able to excavate a burrow, sufficiently 

 large to receive it, in the wood itself, and it subsequently 

 serves the further useful purpose of concealing and pro- 

 tecting from enemies the mouth of its burrow. 



The following is the description that I made of the 

 larva : — 



Length, when moderately stretched, 11 mm. Greatest breadth 

 (i. e. across pro thorax) 1-75 mm. Head broad, rather flattened, 

 highly polished, brownish-ochreous, clouded on the sides with 

 tawny-brown, partially retractile into the prothorax ; upper mouth- 

 parts mostly blackish ; ocelli minute, black, well separated. Pro- 

 thorax of great breadth (the broadest part of the whole larva), with 

 adarge, highly-polished, almost transparent, watery-whitish-ochreous, 

 luidivided plate, through which the j^osterior portion of the head, 

 when retracted, is clearly seen. Mesa- and meta-ihorax rather 

 narrower than prothorax, and somewhat broader than abdomen. 

 The thorax and abdomen together form a mass which tapers gradu- 

 ally from its anterior to its posterior extremity, and shows very 

 clearly-defined segmental divisions ; in colour it is semitransparent 

 watery-ochreous-whitish, with the pulsating dorsal vessel showing 

 through as a broad (zigzag, in reality, and of varying width), deep 

 purplish-brown, mediodorsal line. Skin not glossy, smooth, but 

 with various transverse wrinkles, each segment being divided into 

 three distinct subsegments, the larva being thus enabled to contort 

 itself to an extent almost past belief. There is a well-developed 

 lateral flange below the spiracles. Anal plate polished, semi- 

 transparent, watery-ochreous-whitish, the dark contents of the 

 cloaca being clearly visible through it. Tubercles of moderate size, 

 polished, concolorous with ground-colour, each emitting a single 

 short hair. Spiracles small, watery-whitish, with ochreous centres. 

 Hairs few, short, single, scattered, pale brown. Legs highly polished, 

 whitish-ochreous externally, paler internally ; claws dusky-brown. 

 Prolegs semitransparent watery-ochreous-whitish, with dark brown 

 terminations. 



I inadvertently omitted to note down details about the ventral 

 surface, but feel sure that it was concolorous with the dorsum. In 

 colour, undulating constrictions on being touched, etc., this larva is 

 decidedly maggot-like, though by no means so in shape when 

 extended. Its movements are deliberate, and its rate of progression 

 is remarkably slow. 



At 3.45 p.m. the larva was placed on a crack in the 

 bark of the fresh-cut stem of Viburnum lantana, and, 

 ensconsing itself therein, it forthwith proceeded to build 



