me 
218 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
four distinct varieties which are described below, the rarest 
taking precedence. 
Of the first variety the general colour is a pinky gray, sub- 
dorsal line very distinct, white, with a black bar beneath it on 
each segment; head, belly, legs and spines, light green; there is 
also a conspicuous white lateral line, dividing the green from the 
gray, which has above it a bold black line, the space between this 
and the above-mentioned black bars being strongly clouded with 
darker gray. ‘This variety, in common with all the rest, possesses 
no spines on the first segment, there being seven on the others, 
viz., a row down the back and three on each side, the last of all 
haying only two spines. 
Of the second variety the markings are the same as in 
the first in every respect, except that the ground colour is of a 
brownish pink tint. 
The third variety has the back and sides dark brown, sub- 
dorsal lines reduced to a chain of white bars, lateral lines 
distinct ; head, belly, legs and spines green. 
In the fourth the markings resemble the third, except that the 
ground colour and head are black, the belly and legs dark brown, 
the prolegs green, and the spines shining black. 
I am at a loss to explain the cause of this singular variation, 
and can only state that it was not connected with a difference in 
food, sex, or any other external circumstance. 
After these had gone through the wonderful performance 
of changing into pupe they consisted of two varieties, one of a 
uniform light brown colour, the other black, with the dorsal half 
of the abdomen dark brown, the spines and extremities of the 
wing-cases being tawny. Both these varieties had in some cases 
a few gold or silver metallic spots on the prominent parts of the 
body. The different larval varieties changed into the two kinds 
of pupe quite indiscriminately, with the exception of the first 
two, both of which resulted in the light brown form; but as I had 
but one example of each of these, it was very possibly wholly 
accidental. 
The time between the third moult and the larva’s final trans- 
formation is a little over a fortnight, the duration of the pupa 
state itself being from twelve to sixteen days. 
I was not so much surprised at the variation of the pups, as 
I had a similar experience when rearing a number of V. urtice in 
