The Zoologist— October, 1868. 1415 



I observed some which I supposed had undergone but two moults, 

 and these completely resembled the full-grown larva. 



When full grown they exceed 20 mm. in length, and are nearly 

 cylindrical, but somewhat strongly wrinkled on the dorsum. The 

 head is brownish green, the colour of dead leaves, with a round spot 

 on each side, in which the eye is placed. The colour of the body is 

 sea-green. A row of black dots and dashes extends along the sides, 

 beginning at the neck and following the direction of the spiracles to 

 the last segment; a similar row is found just above the legs, but does 

 not extend quite so far (fig. 2). There are in all twenty legs; the 

 thoracic legs are green, with black dots ; the abdominal and anal legs 

 are without dots ; the tail end is produced on both sides into a spine, 

 and has the posterior border brown (fig. 3). 



This species, like most, if not all, of the genus Nematus, on being 

 touched defended itself by raising and curving the abdomen, displaying 

 the under side of that part of the body. On observing this with a lens 

 I found on the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth segments four dark 

 green glands of a very elliptical shape, which the animal had the 

 power of entirely retracting, so that nothing could be seen in their 

 place but little folds of skin. When only moderately projected these 

 glands had the appearance of a in fig. 4, in which b represents the 

 two legs : if, however, I took the animal between the fingers and 

 gently compressed it the gland was made to project further, and 

 assumed the appearance of a in fig. 5, when it also appeared to me 

 that I could distinguish an opening at its extremity. Although, after 

 this treatment, when I released the animal, the gland was entirely 

 retracted again, I doubt whether this excessive protrusion of it was 

 normal, as I never saw the larva protrude it so far of its own accord. 

 Beyond this I have not observed anything remarkable about this 

 insect in its larval state. When it was full grown it crept into the 

 earth, where it made a simple hard cocoon, which I have represented 

 at fig. 6. 



The larva?, which had spun up in August or September, produced 

 the imago in the early spring. I found one imago, which, however, 

 was dead, in a tin box on the 1st of March ; the larva had spun up in 

 the first week of August. I cannot be quite certain that this imago 

 had not emerged in the autumn, but as it is my habit frequently to 

 inspect my nursery during the summer and until late in the autumn, 

 I presume the perfect insect emerged in February, which would 

 certainly be very early. 



