Insects. 7361 



Occurrence of Cidaria reticulata in the Lake District. — Three specimens of this 

 prettj' and very distinct species were taken in August, 1866, on the horder of one of 

 ibe Lakes, bj- my friend Thomas H. Allis, who requested me to send a notice of its 

 capture for in=;i rtion in the ' Zoologist.' Cidaria reticulata is not common anywhere ; 

 according to Guenee it is found in the Swiss Alps, Pyrenees, Hungary and the South 

 ofKussia. The larra is unknown, hut probably feeds upon Epilobium, like that of 

 C. silaceata, the species most nearly allied to C. reticulata. — Henry Douhleday ; 

 Eppivg, January 14, 1861. 



Description of the Larva of Anticlea berherata. — Rests in a slightly bent posture ; 

 frequently falls when touched, and when on the ground wriggles somewhat in the 

 manner of a Tortrix larva. Colour dingy gray-green approaching to brown. The 

 2nd, 3rd and 4th segments have a median black stripe, that on ihe 4ih extending 

 only half the length of the segment; the lOih, 11th and 12ih segments have also a 

 median Idack siripe, but less distinct; the dorsal surface of the segments intervening 

 between the 4ih and lOlh is mottled with shades of gray, dingy green and brown : the 

 belly is striped longitudinally, the median stripe having several darker blotches, and 

 just befiire the anterior pair of claspers is a large space conspicuously darker. Feeds 

 on Galium verum (lady's bedstraw), and is full fed about the lOih of July. I am 

 indebted to Mr. Smithson for this larva. — E. Newman. 



On the Economy of Epunda lickenea. — The ova, which are deposited about the 

 beginning of October, hatch early in November ; the larvifi remain very small during 

 the winter, and are mostly hid amongst roots of grass. About the beginning of 

 January they begin to show out by night, and to feed very ravenously on groundsel, &c., 

 and to grow very fast. They are of a green colour, the spiracular line whitish : they 

 still retain the green colour after several moults, when they api)ear in a mottled olive 

 suit. When youug they I'epose in the position of Sphinx Ligustri, with their head 

 and fore legs erect, on the stems of dry grass; they will feed very ravenously on 

 groundsel, and thrive on it well ; but as the spring advances I feed them on chick- 

 weed, dock, dandelion, scabious, burnet, &c.: they fted on until May, when they 

 assume the pupa state; I never had any remain in the larva state until June, although 

 Merrin's 'Calendar,' in July, p. 74, says, " E. lichenea. Ragwort, foxglove, &c." 

 I never, out of many dozens, during two or three years' experience of rearing them, 

 saw any above the surface after May. I do not by any means think them a teuder 

 larva to rear; 1 have during the last two or three years reared about three-filths of 

 them on an average. They form a cocoon of a web-like texture, mixed with the 

 earth; the pups are rather blunt at the ends: they generally lie in that state for 

 about four mouths, and in September emerge. My method of rearing them is this: 

 in a clear wide-mouthed glass bottle I put the ova, also a piece of while paper, and 

 cover over the top of the bottle with a fine piece of gauze, so that when the larvae hatch 

 I can see them creep on the paper; I then put in some dry stems of fine grass and a 

 small leaf of groundsel, so that there should not be too much refuse left; they soon 

 leave their food and creep on the fine grass to repose, and I then remove the refuse : 

 every evening I put in fresh food, and always remove what they leave; but after 

 awhile, when they improve in size, T remove them to a medium-sized (lower-pot, half 

 filled with loose mould and )iieces of turfy grass, under which they generally hide by 

 day, and at night they come out to feed, when I put them in some fresh : in clearing 

 out the refuse care must be taken uot to throw away any of the laiv^ which may be 

 Lid in it. By following these instructions I thiuk there would be no dilBculty 

 VOL. XIX. K 



