9826 Insects. 



within reach, and, suspending itself therefrom by means of its anal 

 claspers, changes to a pupa, which has the head broadly truncate, but 

 not eared ; the dorsum of thorax produced into a median point, and 

 having a point on each sidje in advance of the median point, and two 

 more prominent points on each side on the margin of the wing-cases; 

 the abdomen has three series of obtuse points, the mediodorsal series 

 consisting of six points, the lateral series of eight points, the anal ex- 

 tremity produced into a slightly curved beak-like process, which is ter- 

 minated with a fringe of minute hooks, by which it is suspended. The 

 colour is ochreous-gray, striped with dingy brown, and adorned with 

 gold reflections ; the dorsal points are golden metallic-yellow ; there 

 is a hastate black mark between the lips of the wing-cases, apparently 

 covering the extremity of the maxillse ; the cases of the antennae have 

 a double series of black dots ; the anal beak has on each side a con- 

 spicuous black stripe, and various parts of the wing-cases and abdo- 

 men have distinct black dots. The pupa-state lasts about fourteen 

 days, and the butterfly appears about the 4th of August: the sexes 

 appear to lake lillle notice of each other, but may frequently be seen 

 frequenting gardens or settled on thistles, teazles, &c., by the road-side, 

 until the end of October, when it retires to its wintci-quarters, again to 

 appear in April, May and June : copulation then takes place, and 

 oviposition follows during eight or ten succeeding da^'s. I am indebted 

 to Mr. Huckett (18(i:3) and Mr. Pristo (1865) for a supply of the larvae 

 of this beautiful species. 



Odonestis potatoria (The Drinker). 



The eggs are laid in July and August on Triticum repens and other 

 grasses which abound in our hedge-rows; they are of an oblong form, 

 depressed on the top, and having a median dot or spot surrounded 

 by a black line ; they are covered with an adhesive fluid, by which they 

 instantly become attached to any object they may touch : in confine- 

 ment six or eight of these eggs are deposited in close proximity, often 

 in contact. The young larva emerges in August or September, and 

 feeds on grasses, but makes but little ))rogress in growth before winter: 

 it seems to have a great love of rest, and throughout October I have 

 frequently observed it on llie extremity of a flowering culm of some 

 grass from which the seed has fallen, and which it seems to have 

 ascended for the sole purpose of enjoying the warmth of the sun's 

 rays. It rests in a nearly straight position, with the head somewhat 

 tucked in and the 3rd and 4th segments slightly elevated: when 

 annoyed it rolls itself in a compact ring and falls from its food-plant 



