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II. Notes upon, or suggested hy, the colours, 7narkings, and 

 protective attitudes of certain lepidopterous larvcB 

 and pupa, and of a phytophagous hymenopterous 

 larva. By Edward B. Poulton, M.A. 



[Eead November 7th, 1883.] 



Plate I. 



In the following notes I have numbered the segments of 

 larvae according to the general custom of EngHsh ento- 

 mologists. The head is considered as the 1st segment, 

 and the others are counted (antero-posteriorly) from two 

 to twelve. In adopting this plan I simply wish to be 

 intelligible, and do not stand committed to any theory. 

 I wish to express my sincere thanks to Prof.^ Westwood 

 for his kind help and advice in this as well as in all other 

 work that I have done in Entomology. 



The Markings of some Larv^ of the Genera 

 Smerinthus and Sphinx. — The following notes were 

 made after reading Professor Weismann's most mte- 

 resting and suggestive Essay on 'The Origin of the 

 Markings of Caterpillars,' together with Mr. Meldola s 

 important additions to the English translation. Some 

 observations I have to record were made during the 

 past summer (1883). In other cases (which will be 

 indicated) I have been obliged to rely on my memory 

 for facts of which I did not see the significance at the 

 time when they were noticed, and to which therefore I 

 did not direct very careful attention. This will explain 

 some deficiency of detail in certain observations, although 

 in such cases the main facts have been firmly impressed 

 upon my recollection. . 



1. The red spots that sometimes occur on Smerinthus 

 larvce.—Weism^nn considers that this well-known varia- 

 tion represents a step in the origin of coloured borders to 

 the oblique stripes such as are met with m Sphinx. 1 have 

 never been fortunate enough to find these spots m S.tikie, 

 although the larva is well known to me. This is all the 

 more unfortunate, because Weismann's conclusions have 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1884.— PART I. (APRIL.) 



