﻿OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 21 



conform more or less to the change in its habits. On the other hand 

 the old school of philosophers, who believe that every species was in- 

 dependently created, will argue that this is so, in order to 'complete 

 the System of Nature,' and ' carry out the Plan of the Creation,' and 

 'give full and free expression to the Thoughts of the Creator.' Pos- 

 sibly this may be the true solution of the difficulty ; but — and we say 

 it in no irreverent spirit — what should we think of a Potter, who made 

 all his teacups, without eiiception, with handles ; those for which han- 

 dles were required with complete ones such as you could put your 

 finger through, and such cups as were not wanted to have any handles 

 at all, with solid unperforated ones, such as would be nearly useless? 

 And what should we say, if the Potter's friends were to gravely argue, 

 that he took all this unnecessary trouble in order 'to complete the 

 System of Art,' and ' carry out the Plan of the Tea drinker,' and ' give 

 full and free expression to the Thoughts of the Potter?' '' 



DESCRIPTIVE . 



I repeat the following descriptions as originally drawn up by Mr. 

 Walsh from many specimens, as the publications in which they occur 

 are not now very accessible. 



As I have already stated, the larva is pale green just previous to 

 spinning its cocoon, having thrown off the tubercled skin with the 

 last larval molt. Indeed this habit of throwing off the armed or 

 ornamented larval skin before preparing for the pupa state is almost 

 universal with the Tenthredinidas. The comparatively naked condi- 

 tion, between the full grown larval and pupal states, may be likened 

 to the semi-pupa state of some other insects, lor the Saw fly larvas 

 in this condition shrink somewhat in size and do not feed, as far as I 

 have observed, though they may be active for a few days. 



Nkmatus ykntricosus — Larva, nea7'ly mature. — Length J inch. Pale green, 

 verging on j'ellow towards the tail. Head black, polished, with numerous short hairs 

 proceeding from minute tubercles. Mouth, except the mandibles, dingy green. Joints 

 of the body above with rows of small shining black tubercles placed crossways, and 

 each bearing a hair in the less mature specimens, but in the largest and most mature 

 ones bearing no hairs at all, except the larger tubercles on the sides. First joint 

 behind the head with a single row of dorsal tubercles ; joints 2 and 3 each with a double 

 row, the anterior one curved forwards in the middle in a semicircle ; joints 4—12 with 

 a treble row ; the anal plate black, polished, and prolonged at each posterior angle in 

 a slender acute thorn, and having, besides the triple row of tubercles before it, a group 

 of six or eight tubercles on each side of and partly before it. A longitudinal row of 

 larger lateral black tubercles on joints 2—12, one on each joint, beneath which there 

 is a geminate black tubercle above each proleg; all these tubercles bearing many hairs. 

 Legs black, the sutures pale green. Prolegs fourteen, pale green, all but the two anal 

 ones with a few minute black dots towards their tip in front. Joints 4 and 11 without 

 prolegs. 



