TAXONUS EQUISETI. 203 



Black, sliiuing, covered with a fuscous pubescence; labrum, tegulae 

 and palpi white. Legs and two or three of the abdominal segments 

 red ; coxa), trochanters, extreme base of femora, black ; apex of anterior 

 tarsi and the whole of the posterior black. Wings hyaline, costa and 

 stigma black. ? and <?. 



Length 3| 3 lines. 



The position of the tr. radial nervure is subject to 

 irregularity. It is often received near the middle of the 

 third cubital cellule, and as often in the fourth cubital. 



The following aberrations occur : 



a. Abdomen with four segments red, and the stigma 

 pale at the base (the other forms have the latter 

 peculiarity to some extent). Stidicus, Kl. 



b. Abdomen with three segments red. Bicolor, Kl. 



c. Abdomen with two segments red. Coxalis, Kl. 



d. Abdomen with two segments and a triangular 

 blotch in the segment succeeding these, red. (Scotch 

 variety.) 



The larva of this species feeds in the summer and 

 autumn on Rumex acetosella, in the leaves of which it 

 eats irregular, generally somewhat squarish, holes ; 

 and, as the larvas usually are found together, the 

 plants infested by them get their leaves nearly all 

 destroyed. 



The upper part of the head of the larva is fuscous, 

 the lower portion white and the mouth brown ; the 

 eyes are situated at the end of the fuscous part. Legs 

 white. The lower part of the body is whitish, with 

 the spiracles brownish; upper half green, sometimes 

 tinged with red on the back, probably through the 

 food shining through. The skin is in furrows, 

 obscurely marked with black. 



When the larva becomes full fed the body gets 

 shorter and assumes a yellowish tinge. I presume 

 that in a state of nature they spin no cocoon, but like 

 those of glabratus burrow in stems, since in my breed- 

 ing jars they bored into corks and bramble stems pro- 

 vided for that purpose. Apparently there is only one 

 brood in the year. The perfect insect makes its 

 appearance in June in Scotland. 



