102 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



LIFE-HISTOEY OF HESPERIA PANISCUS, F., = 

 PALMMON, Pallas ; Stand. Cat. 



By W. a. Eollason. 



In preparation for a new and completely illustrated work on 

 the larvse and pupae of the British Macro-lepidoptera the 

 following life-history has been prepared, and as but few entomo- 

 logists have had the opportunity of rearing the species and at 

 the same time drawing and describing both larva and pupa, I 

 have thought that it would interest many students in the science 

 to read the descriptions I have been enabled to draw up. 

 Through the kindness of fellow-workers opportunity has since 

 been afforded me of comparing the previously written and 

 excellent descriptions of Messrs. Buckler, Hellins, and Frohawk, 

 and I find my description of the larva in various stages is of 

 much fuller detail in nearly all respects, and especially in that 

 of the larva after hybernation. Again, also with the pupa I 

 have a much more detailed description of its form and colour, 

 notably in the transitional stages of colour from day to day for 

 four or five days before emergence of imago, and which latter 

 process, including dehiscence, I had the gratification of witness- 

 ing and describing in detail. The following is my complete 

 record : — On June 15th, 1906, my esteemed and valued corre- 

 spondent, the Rev. Gilbert H. Eaynor, sent me ova from a wild 

 Wansford female. The ovum is shining, pearly, and of a warm 

 whitish-grey colour, inclining in some instances to bluish or 

 yellowish. They were laid singly on fine grass stems. These 

 hatched on June 21st, 1906, the young larvae emerging by eating 

 away the crown. They were white, with dull surface, and 

 having a very large perfectly black shining head, the anterior 

 margin of dorsal plate on second segment being also shining 

 black. The young larvae were supplied with tender leaves of 

 Brachypodium sylvaticum, and kept indoors for four days, after 

 which they were sleeved out in my garden on a growing plant of 

 same. At this early stage they commenced to spin edges of 

 leaves together. Until August 13th they were not disturbed, 

 when on opening the sleeve I found five larvae about five-eighths 

 of an inch long, and they, having eaten nearly all the leaves of 

 the food-plant, were walking about the muslin sleeve. They 

 rest in tubular retreats formed by spinning together, though not 

 closely, the edges of the leaves for about an inch. Their method 

 of feeding is to practically remain in their retreat, eating away 

 the leaf above and below to a very thin strip, and only so far as 

 they can reach. When eaten below, this naturally causes the 

 retreat to fall and hang. When food is again required the larva 

 timidly leaves the retreat and hastens to make a similar one on 

 another leaf ; feeding again as before described. The larvse were 



