166 NEMATUS MELANOOEPHALUS. 



segment. Legs green, the claws slightly blackish. 

 Body bluish sea-green. On the back, at the end of the 

 second segment, is a row of small black dots going 

 across ; behind on each of the following segments are 

 fonr small dots. On the edge of the back is a row of 

 large and small black dots ; below them are eleven 

 large square orange spots close to the spiracles ; going 

 through these orange marks is a row of black dots, 

 two being on each of the orange spots ; below the 

 latter and touching them is another line of larger black 

 dots. In front of the first leg is a N-shaped mark, 

 and on each leg is a black side mark on the femur ; 

 there is also a large black dot between each pair, 

 while over each of the abdominal legs are two black 

 marks. In all there are four rows of the black marks. 



The eggs are deposited on the underside of the leaf. 

 The young larvae at first eat holes in the epidermis, 

 but as they increase in size they take to feeding 

 along the edge, where two or three range themselves, 

 resting as a rule with the anal segments curled round 

 the leaf; or if they are disturbed, with the same 

 segments thrown out and agitated in the air. When 

 they are very young the markings are scarcely notice- 

 able. The cocoon is double, black, somewhat glazed, 

 and is spun in the ground. 



The larvaB are found in late summer and autumn on 

 most of our large willows. I believe there are two 

 generations in the year, at least in England, but I am 

 not sure if there are two in Scotland. 



Brischke mentions Mesoleius segmentator and M. 

 latipes, Brischke, as parasites. 



I have seen specimens of this species from Berwick- 

 shire (Hardy), York (Binnie), Worcester (Fletcher), 

 Gloucester, Glanville's Wootton (Dale), Devonshire 

 (Parfitt). 



On the Continent it is found in Sweden, Germany, 

 Holland, France. 



Obs. Nematus melanocephalus was not known to Hartig, who merely 

 abstracted De Geer's description, and, as he considered that it was not 



