406 Dr. T. A. Chapman on the 



parasite was an ichneumon forming a silken cocoon. The 

 skin is not very satisfactory, certain layers of silk remaining 

 adherent to it, nor did it seem to be prudent to attempt 

 their removal. 



June 25th. — One of the remaining full-grown larvae is 

 found this morning to have pupated; the other is ichneu- 

 monised like the one noted on the 23rd. It had the tracheae 

 very visible. On opening it, the skin is lined with silk by 

 the ichneumon, but the larva of the parasite is removed with- 

 out any silken covering, the inner cocoon proper not having 

 been commenced. It may be noted that the larval skin 

 contains nothing but the tracheae, a silken lining, and the 

 larva of the parasite ; no other remains of the host's in- 

 terior than the tracheae, no trace of any dejecta of the larva 

 of the parasite. 



The small larva has grown and eats the ovary (immature 

 seed-pods) of the recently faded flowers, the larger larvae 

 seemed to prefer the leaves. 



June 26th. — The pupa, which was very dark when seen 

 yesterday, is perhaps rather darker to-day. 



The abdomen is of a very deep ochreous browTi with a darker, 

 nearly black, dorsal band. The thorax, head and appendages 

 are very dark, almost black. The whole pupa is very polished 

 and shining. It has (except on appendages) a great many very 

 short pale brown hairs, most easily seen in profile on abdomen, 

 where they appear to be very abundant. The pupa is short and 

 thick, length 9 mm., height thorax 3"5 mm., waist 3'1 mm., abdo- 

 men (3rd and 4th segments) 4*0 mm., abdominal line (beyond 

 wings) 2*2 mm. Opposite 3rd and 4th abdominals the wings 

 project a little ventrally, but otherwise the variations in height 

 are due to dorsal curves. The width to waist is 3'3 mm. expanding 

 at 4th abdominal to 3"7 mm. 



The general outline is normal Lycaenid. 



June 29th. — -Yesterday and to-day the small larva is 

 eating leaves of the centre of rosettes, leaving one cuticle 

 of the larger leaves ; the seed-pods are possibly getting too 

 ripe and hard to suit him. 



June 30th. — The cuticle left is indifferently the upper or 

 lower of the leaf. Of two rosettes given to the larva yester- 

 day, both having a good many leaves eaten, one shows 

 the lower cuticle to be left in each leaf eaten, the other 

 the upper cuticle ; this can apparently only depend on the 

 direction in which the larva approached the rosette, but 



