164 NEMATUS SALICIS. 



in length. The head is shining black, the body 

 cylindrical, bluish-green, the first three and the anal 

 segments are reddish-brown or orange. On the body 

 are seven rows of shining black points and spots. 

 Between the dorsal and the first side row a pair of 

 black spots lie upon each segment. On the orange seg- 

 ments the black spots are fewer, and are also not so 

 regularly arranged, while there is over the anus a 

 large black spot, the last segment bearing also two 

 short black cerci. The thoracic legs are marked with 

 black, the claws being of the same colour. Generally 

 each body segment has about twenty-three black dots, 

 a dorsal row, then two small points, next a row of 

 four large dots, with a small one between the first and 

 second, then four dots with a small point beneath the 

 first and second ; while below them is a rather large 

 oblong mark with two smaller roundish marks on the 

 opposite side, and lastly, there is a longish line on each 

 side over the leg. 



The eggs are laid on the underside of the leaf. 

 When young the larvse live in company on the edge of 

 a leaf, but as they get older become more solitary, 

 only one or two being found together on the same 

 leaf. When feeding they have the after half of the 

 body thrown out into the air, or curled round the leaf. 

 They are found from July to October on the large 

 willows (Salix alba and S.fragUis). The large double 

 brownish-black cocoon is spun in the earth. 



Mesoleius armillatorius, Gr. ; M. sanguinicollis, Gr. ; 

 M. segmentator, Holmgr. ; Pimpla scanica, Gr., and P. 

 stercorator, Gr., have been bred from the larvae. 



Apparently it is not a very common species in 

 Britain, and hitherto has only been found in the South 

 of England. 



On the Continent it occurs in Sweden, Germany, 

 Holland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary. 



