80 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



eaten and abandoned by a Tortriv (viridana ?} larva. This particular 

 leaf was, in detail, exactly imitated by the larva of //. wilhaweri. 

 There was a curled portion of leaf with the outline of the body of the 

 larva, the netted green texture of the leaf like the small markings on 

 the surface of the larva, whilst a brown decayed mark or two were 

 similar to those found on it ; the extremity was eaten off on lines 

 partly following a rib, so as to imitate the truncate aspect the larva 

 has, however viewed ; whilst the secondary ribs of the leaf, being 

 eaten between, projected laterally from the roll, just like the dorsal 

 spines of the larva, and in about the same size and order ; the tall one 

 on the 5th segment, the dwindling ones on the 6th-10th, and the taller 

 bifid one on the 12th, this one resembling points from both edges of 

 the leaf. Most curious, perhaps, of all, the little backward projecting 

 points at the tips of the spines (or humps), apparently so super- 

 fluously complicated in the larva, were exactly represented in the leaf ; 

 the Tortriv larva, in eating the substance of the leaf between the 

 secondary ribs, had eaten these down to some extent also, but stuck 

 fast just at a tertiary branch, the small remaining portion of which 

 precisely represented the backward process of the larval spine. I 

 never met with another rolled leaf that happened, in exact number, 

 size and position, to represent all the processes of the larva as this one 

 did, but almost any rolled and abandoned leaf bore a very close 

 resemblance to the larva. 



The resemblance of the larva of Smerinthtts oceHatw to a willow or 

 curled apple leaf, is most remarkable, and the larvae of both our other 

 British Smerinthid species similarly resemble the curled leaves of their 

 respective food-plants. The lateral stripes give an idea of light and 

 shadow on the supposed leaf, and the similarity to a willow leaf is often 

 increased in the case of certain larvae of S. ocellatus, in which extra 

 red lateral spots resemble very closely the little red galls on the willow 

 leaves. In America, it has been found that the red blotches on the 

 larvae of S. mi/ops are not at all uniform in number, and are much 

 more frequently found on examples of the late brood, although some 

 of them are entirely green. These red spots correspond exactly in 

 colour with similar spots found on the leaves of the wild cherry (the 

 food-plant of the species) at that seasen. Poulton has given (Tram. 

 Knt. Soc. Land., 1887) a detailed 'account of the remarkable manner 

 in which the larva of Deilepldla hippophavs is specialised in regard to 

 its colour and markings, so as to resemble even in minute detail the 

 peculiarities of its food-plant, tJippophaei rhannwides, and he states 

 that not only are the colours of the leaves faithfully carried out, but 

 the characteristic orange berries are represented by an orange spot at 

 the base of the caudal horn upon each side. 



Holland notes that he picked up a full-fed larva of Sfauroptu fayi 

 on the path of a beech wood, which very closely resembled a curled - 

 up beech leaf, like those beside it on the path. Poulton says, that 

 when at rest and undisturbed, the larva is difficult to detect, and is 

 protected by its resemblance to a withered beech leaf irregularly curled 

 up, the body, which is often held asymmetrically, representing the leaf, 

 being of about the appropriate diameter, colour and length, whilst the 

 two caudal processes, modified from the last pair of prolegs and always 

 applied together when at rest, represent the leaf-stalk. The second 

 and third pairs of thoracic legs, folded in the middle of their length, 



