THE YOUNG LARVA OF LIPHYRA BRA8S0LIS. 211 



Lefevre's species was also obtained in another region. The 

 author makes likewise no mention of the sex of his species ; the 

 elytral costcne are often to be found in the female only, the male 

 may be of quite different sculpturing. 



Alteration of a Generic Name. — The generic name Micro- 

 pyga, described in the ' Entomologist,' p. 92, having been pre- 

 viously employed, I therefore alter it to Clytlmrpsis. — M. Jacoby. 



THE YOUNG LARVA OF LIPHYEA BRASSOLIS, Westw. 



By F. p. Dodd. 



Re Dr. Chapman's article in the April number. I cannot 

 understand why Dr. Chapman writes that " it appears that there 

 is no immediate chance of the problem being cleared up." I 

 beg to state that there is no problem to be solved and never was, 

 and that in my correspondence with Dr. Chapman I am unaware 

 that I ever gave him any reason to assume that there was a 

 problem in the matter. When his description of L. brassolis 

 larva appeared, my surprise was very great indeed to observe 

 that he was dealing with another insect altogether in his opening 

 remarks ! I at once guessed that I had, through carelessness, 

 allowed a moth larva, from the same bottle in which I kept L. 

 brassolis, to slip unperceived into the one I sent to Mr. South ; 

 still, it is beyond my comprehension how this could possibly be 

 taken for the young larva of the butterfly, for every segment is, 

 to the naked eye, remarkably clearly defined, whilst I believe it 

 would puzzle many to discern the segments of even a one-third 

 grown brassolis with the aid of a strong lens. As to the small 

 moth caterpillar having Lycsenid characteristics, I cannot venture 

 to express an opinion ; still, the statement that it has is most 

 interesting news to me, for many species of " blue " larv^ have 

 come under my observation. Had Dr. Chapman deigned to read 

 my few remarks upon the larvse, he would have observed that 

 the little things from the eggs were stated to be oval and flat, 

 and that large examples were lozenge-shaped, &c. I believe my 

 letter to Mr. South stated that I was forwarding two sizes of 

 larvae, and I think this was also mentioned in my paper. (I 

 cannot refer to this, or Dr. Chapman's descriptions, as they and 

 sundry 'Entomologists,' &c., were blown away in our terrific 

 cyclone of 9th March.) With the exception of the three furrowed 

 lines upon the upper surface of the large caterpillars, there is 

 no sign of segmental divisions, therefore what a change in a 

 Lycaenid larva ! can any entomologist furnish us with one so 

 extraordinary ? From a very soft, fleshy, clearly segmented, 



