148 WILLOW. 



smooth. After the first moult, the two sharp humps on the back also 

 appear, accompanied by variety of marking, as a whitish grey colour 

 along the back, with darker stripe, dark streaks on the side, and the 

 belly dusky, &c. At the third moult several caterpillars under 

 observation were found to show a pink tinge. 



Of the subsequent change, Mr. Hellins mentions : — " The full- 

 grown larva is generally handsome, but varies a good deal in colouring; 

 I have short notes of one which was lilac above, dark brown below, the 

 hump on twelve, orange red with yellow streaks, a yellowish line along 

 the spiracles." Another variety very fully described had "the colour 

 mostly a mixture of pale delicate grey and pink," varied with orange 

 patches, pale yellowish streaks, &c. ; and a third variety was paler still. 



In my own specimen from Connemara, which appeared to be fully 

 grown, the colouring most resembled the first of Mr. Hellins' three 

 varieties, mentioned above, in the general colour, which was pinkish 

 or purplish, but brown or lurid below. The dorsal humps, or bluntly 

 pointed tubercles, were brown before, edged with a pale line, and a 

 dark stripe ran along the back, from the brownish head to the humps, 

 paler on the segment next these tubercles. 



The segments beyond the fourth sucker-foot were mottled with 

 bright rusty and yellow colours, disposed in two short broad curved 

 bands pointing upwards, the upper slant of the caudal segment pinkish; 

 a white line down outside of fourth proleg, faint white transverse lines 

 on sides, and two faint white lines along back, from second dorsal 

 hump to the hump near the caudal extremity. Altogether this full- 

 grown larva was certainly, as Mr. Hellins remarks of some of his 

 specimens, a very handsome creature. 



The autumn brood of caterpillars are stated by Edw. Newman to 

 " spin their slight cocoons on the surface of the earth, and to remain 

 in the chrysalis state all winter." 



The moth is double-brooded ; but as from comparison of observa- 

 tions of different writers, British and Continental, it appears that the 

 moth may be found from April to July, and the caterpillars from June 

 to September, it appears as if for all practical purposes, the presence of 

 the infestation might be considered as pretty constant during the warm 

 season. 



The moth is of the shape and pattern figured at heading, with a 

 tooth at the hinder margin of the fore wings, which are chiefly 

 ochreous brown, with a large pale grey blotch occupying about a third 

 of the middle part of the fore edge, and various markings forming an 

 eye-like spot at the tip of the wing ; the hinder wings have a dingy 

 brown ground colour. 



Amongst the various kinds of injury to leafage sent me, or described 

 to me, by Miss Sturge as going on amongst her Osiers to a very serious 



