Early Stages of Alhulina pheretes. 899 



A third specimen, 10 mm. long, also appears to be in 

 last skin. 



In fourth instar length appears to be 7-7*5 ram. (before 

 shrinking into quiescence for hibernation). 



The only pupa I obtained did not quite fully get rid of 

 the larval skin, and so some of the appendages did not fall 

 properly into place, but it was sufficiently perfect to enable 

 its principal features to be noted. It appears to belong to 

 the Corydon group in having practically no cremaster, 

 and the few silk threads, that can hardly be called a girth 

 or even a pad, break down on the slightest disturbance. 

 This must, of course, be accepted with the caution that my 

 specimen was a weak untimely one, and that the silken 

 work of a robust specimen might be stronger and more 

 purposeful. 



The pupa is green, and remains so, apparently, till 

 the imago begins to mature ; with only the very con- 

 spicuous brown glazed eyes as an exception, these are so 

 coloured from the first. The dorsum carries a number of 

 closely-placed, very short, brownish hairs. 



Further details may be gathered from the photographs 

 of portions of the mounted skin (figs. 33 to 38). 



I placed various newly-hatched larvae on living plants 

 of Astragalus, both indoors and out, but these all came to 

 grief chiefly by the plants dying ; I believe the young 

 larvae wandered away (one or two were found) from the 

 plants when they become unpalatable and before they 

 died. 



The only partial success was that on — 



October 15. — I found a larva of A. jjheretes on a plant of 

 Astragalus alpinus (amongst grass, etc.) that has been out 

 of doors since I put some newly hatched larvae on it, 

 early in August. The larva seemed to be large in third 

 instar, but was not very well seen as it was in a sort of nest 

 of dead leaves of the Astragalus, about half an inch to an 

 inch above the soil level, and closed in except on one side ; 

 there was no other place affording such a nest on the 

 plant, though hiding places low in the grass were abundant 

 enough. 



It suggests itself that this may be a place selected for 

 hibernation, as being far enough from the ground not to 

 be too wet and yet affording sufficient hiding. 



P.S. — Tlie results in the Spring may be noted. 



February 27. — Found all the larvae that went into 



