ATHALIA ANNULATA. 317 



resemble it, but the above peculiarity, the black first 

 abdominal segment, the coxaB black at the base, with 

 the almost black posterior tarsi, readily separate the 

 two. Most of the English specimens that I have seen 

 have the base of the posterior tarsal joints luteous, the 

 middle joints are blackish at the tips from the second 

 joint, and the anterior faintly fuscous at the apex. 

 According to some of the describers the posterior tarsi 

 are entirely black, but I have never seen a specimen 

 with them entirely of one colour. I have seen some 

 Continental specimens with scarcely any black, the 

 apical joints being only faintly fuscous. 



Kaltenbach relates (1. c.) that he found the larva of 

 annulata in July, and again in September and October 

 on Veronica beccabunga, the leaves of which it eats on 

 the underside. He describes the larva as being dull 

 black, whitish at the sides, and as spinning a cocoon in 

 the earth. A larva answering to this description I 

 have found myself on Veronica in Clydesdale, but 

 unfortunately did not succeed in rearing it. 



Dahlbom, on the other hand, says that he received 

 from Drewsen its larva, which according to him fed on 

 the turnip. It is stated to have been of a glaucous 

 colour and beset with distinct tubercles, which are well 

 shown in Dahlbom' s figure which was taken from a 

 specimen preserved in spirit. 



Annulata is the rarest of the British species of 

 Athalia. I have seen a specimen from "Worcester and 

 a few from Grlanvilles' Wootton. The perfect insect 

 is stated by Kaltenbach to frequent in summer the 

 flowers of Heradeum. 



It has a wide European distribution, being found in 

 Sweden, Germany, Holland, France, Hungary and 

 Russia. 



