LIFE-HISTORY OF VANESSA ANTIOPA. 299 



They all do precisely the same, and at once form a colony on the 

 last cluster of leaves, covering the bases with web, on which they 

 live and feed in company. 



The first batch hatched on May 3rd, remaining in the egg 

 state nineteen days ; this batch contained 192 eggs, all of which 

 hatched, excepting one. On May 5th another batch hatched, and 

 all did the same as the first lot; and on the 16th a very large 

 batch hatched, the eggs being on the same branch as those which 

 hatched on the 5th ; and directly the larvae emerged they all started 

 spinning and crawling up the branch till they arrived at the part 

 already covered with web by the previous brood, and, following 

 the web-covered branches, every individual of the large batch 

 ascended and joined the elder company, which were eleven days 

 old ; the two families then formed one big community, the ones 

 just hatched nestling among their larger companions. On the 

 17th of May another big batch emerged, which divided into two 

 companies. 



The larva, directly after emergence, measures ^ in. long ; the 

 head is large and shining black, and a few fine black bristles are 

 scattered over the surface ; the segmental divisions are clearly 

 defined, each segment having about four transverse wrinkles and 

 ten black hairs (five on each side) ; those on the dorsal surface 

 are very long, slightly curved, and three in number above the 

 spiracle ; immediately behind the spiracle is another, which pro- 

 jects laterally ; and slightly in front and below the spiracle is the 

 fifth, which curves downwards ; all these are black, with shining 

 black bulbous bases; the surrounding skin is bare of the minute 

 black granulations which cover the whole of the surface of the 

 body; these bare places form a pale circular disk round each 

 hair, and also the spiracles, which are black ; the claspers are 

 granulated with black at the base, and have two whitish spines 

 directed downwards ; the foot is large, and furnished with very 

 ample claws. The entire colouring of the body is pale olive- 

 yellow, inclining to citron. 



The larvae always rest in a dense mass, all crowded together, 

 some on top of the others ; they cover the leaves with web. As 

 soon as the leaves are stripped of the cuticle the entire company 

 move to a fresh supply. If disturbed they curve upward the 

 anterior portion of the body, and remain in that attitude for a 

 short time. When the whole company are slightly on the move 

 in the sun, they form a curious sparkling mass, due to the im- 

 mense number of glistening black heads. 



Shortly before the first moult the larva measures y^j in. long ; 

 it is uniformly cylindrical, the segments deeply incised and very 

 glossy. The ground colour is amber-brown, with a medio-dorsal 

 series of longitudinal dark brown marks, and mottlings of the 

 same colour form a dark spiracular band ; the spiracles are also 

 amber-brown ; the sub-dorsal surface is freckled with brown. 



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