LIFE-HISTORY OF HESPERIA COMMA. 327 



third segments are two larger ones precisely like spiracles ; all 

 these, as well as the spiracles, are black. The head is similar 

 to previous stage. The first segment, which is freely retractile, 

 has the anterior half of a lilac-fl6sh colour, which is the elastic 

 portion, the posterior half having a shining black band encircling 

 the upper half. On May 21st all the larvae still in the second 

 stage. 



Upon examining the larvse on May 28th I found several had 

 just moulted the second time, and others undergoing the moult, 

 and some of similar size but not yet moulting. The second stage 

 lasts between three and four weeks. Shortly before second 

 moult it measures f in. long. The anterior segments, especially 

 the first, are much smaller than the rest of the body, being 

 considerably swollen about the middle ; the anal segment has the 

 dorsal surface speckled with brown. As in the first stage, they 

 live entirely concealed in the tubes of grass spun closely together. 

 They crawl rapidly either forwards or backwards, similar to 

 other case-dwellers, and feed on any species of grass that happens 

 to be interwoven with the hair-grass. 



On June 14th I again examined them, and found over two 

 dozen larvae in different stages ; some after the second moult, 

 and others after the third moult, but varying greatly in size. 



After second moult, and shortly before third moult, about 

 seventy days old, it measures while resting about f in. long. 

 The general colouring is pale greyish-green, but some are of a 

 decidedly ochreous hue ; in all other respects they are precisely 

 similar to previous stage. 



After third moult, and seventy-five days old, the whole of the 

 colouring of the body is a dull olive-green, slightly paler on the 

 ventral surface including the claspers ; the legs are black 

 and shining ; the head now exhibits two ochreous vertical 

 parallel lines down the crown, and an ochreous A marking 

 above the mouth ; otherwise the form and structure of the larva 

 is similar to the earlier stages. 



After fourth moult and full-grown, about one hundred days 

 old, it measures IJ in. in extreme length while crawling. The 

 head is large and similar to previous stage in colour. The first 

 segment is very small, elastical, and retaining the black collar 

 of former stages ; the following segments gradually increase in 

 size to the sixth, and taper from the ninth to twelfth. The 

 entire surface is densely sprinkled with minute shining black 

 warts, each emitting a tiny amber-coloured spine with a clefted 

 knobbed apex ; those on the ventral surface are simple spines, 

 and rather longer. The skin is also covered with fine regular 

 granulations, which are dusky in colour, and exceedingly minute. 

 Besides these, there are sprinkled over the whole surface very 

 small spiracular-like processes, the largest being situated on the 

 claspers (which have a shining whitish film-like surface stretched 



2 D 2 



