252 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



in argentifera, but in these two specimens I have before me there 

 is little difference in that respect. The red abdominal markings 

 in the Tachinidae are, however, always very variable, and of 

 little specific value. 



Mr. Lucas obtained his specimen in the New Forest, on 

 April 30th, this year. Both species of Meriania appear to be 

 always early spring insects, and possibly for this reason have 

 been overlooked, as few Diptera appear so early in the year, and 

 dipterists are accordingly not often out collecting them. Schiner 

 says that they occur "in the earliest spring, on sunny tree- 

 trunks, and like to sport with one another and with other 

 Muscidce." Brauer records the breeding of argentifera from a 

 lepidopteron, Mesogona oxalina, Hb. ; and imparum has been 

 bred from Panolis pmiperda, Pz. 



I have to thank Mr. Lucas for kindly presenting me with 

 the, at present, unique British specimen. 



ON THE LARVA OF LIPHYRA BRASSOLIS, Westw. 



By Dr. T. A. Chapman, F.E.S. 



(Concluded from p. 228.) 



Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this remarkable 

 larva is the modification which has affected the prolegs. When 

 we examine the soft under side of the larva, the head, true legs, 

 and prolegs are seen very much as in the young larva ; the head, 

 however, is nearly white, and so are the true legs, except the 

 tarsal tips. 



Beginning at the margin of the dorsal shield where it sets 

 down on the surface on which the larva may be resting, we find 

 that the shagreened points of the general surface carry hairs of 

 various lengths, some almost evanescent, others nearly '25 mm. 

 long ; these no doubt assist in making the opposition of the 

 larva to its resting place more complete. These seem to be true 

 hairs jointed at the base, and the points over the dorsum are 

 probably also really hairs rather than spicules. The shagreened 

 dots are about '08 mm. in diameter. As one passes inwards 

 from the margin, the hairs get rather thicker, and retain their 

 length of '2 to '28 mm., the shagreened bases lose all chitinous 

 colour, and, a short way in, is apparently a smooth surface, 

 thickly studded with white, short, thick hairs ; as we approach 

 the prolegs these get shorter iand sharper, and fail altogether at 

 a line just below the summit of the column, at top of which is 

 the retractile portion of the leg. Then, just at the margin of 

 the summit of the column, is a compact circle of crotchets, that 

 differ in no very decided manner from those ordinarily found on 



