108 THE entomologist's record. 



both insect and plant were marked with more or less reg-ular circular 

 bands of alternate pale green and rose pink. The only observable 

 difference between the larva and its food-plant was the comparative 

 thickness of the larva, which was about double the size of the leaf 

 stalk.— Hubert S. Phillips, M.E.C.S., F.E.S., 262, Gloucester Ter- 

 race, Hyde Park, W. March 20th, 1900. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 



Vitality of Smerinthus ocellatus bred in confinement.- — I was much 

 interested in M. Lambillion's note on S. oceUati(:i(\ol. xi., pp. 330-2), but I 

 am not at all surprised at the different power of egg-laying exhibited by 

 the wild and artificially reared females. He reared a brood of 200 (10% 

 of which Avere cripples). It is hardly possible that they could have 

 obtained throughout their lives all the food they required. My own 

 experience is that 50-60 require considerable active work to feed them, 

 and artificial rearing is apt to hurry larva; when almost full-fed, as 

 many species, in natural conditions, often go on feeling after fullgrowth 

 is apparently obtained. Only a few of the very strongest individuals 

 could possibly reach maturity under natural conditions, hence the 

 test is scarcely a fair one. — A. Bacot, 134, Lower Clapton Eoad, N.E. 



:^OTES ON LIFE-HISTORIES, LKRYM, &c. 



Newly-hatched larva of Erebia ceto. — About 3mm. in length, 

 by "Imm. in diameter, dorso-ventrally, at 2nd abdominal segment. The 

 lateral diameter slightly greater. Head; Large (•6mm. in height), tall, 

 wide, and thick from front to back. Bounded, with a rough pitted 

 surface that gives it a granular appearance. Colour, pale Avainscot 

 brown. The hairs are short, stout, tapering, slightly curved and 

 thorny. Those on crown of head correspond Avith those on dorsal 

 area of body in that they are very short and much curA^ed. Bodij : Of 

 eA'en thickness, and all the segments are of about equal length. 

 DiA'isions not deeply cut, but clear and distinct, each abdominal 

 segment haA'ing five almost equally Avell marked subdivisions, thoracic 

 segments only four, the anterior of Avhich is considerably larger than 

 the foUoAving ones. The anal segment projects beyond anus dorsally. 

 The skin is rough and granular in appearance, the colour like that of 

 head, pale Avainscot-broAvn, Avith a narroAV darker mediodorsal stripe, and 

 three uarroAV laterals of the same tint. The uppermost of these might 

 perhaps be more correctly called a subdorsal stripe. The lateral flange 

 is slightly raised, and is beneath the loAA'er of the lateral stripes, situated 

 on a broad band of a someAA^hat paler hue than the ground colour. 

 Tuherdes : The dorsal tubercles i and ii, are small in area, but rather 

 tall, cone-shaped, bearing one A^ery short, stout, tapering and thorny 

 hair ; these hairs curve backAvards to an almost horizontal position, 

 reminding one of those on the adult laiwae of Chayaxes jasias, i and ii 

 are situated in transverse line on the 2nd subsegment of meta- and 

 mesothorax, but are far apart (on 1st and 4th subsegments) longi- 

 tudinally, and in markedly trapezoidal position (ii much further from 

 median than i) on the abdominal ones. The dorsal hairs on anal 

 segment are much longer than those on other segments, and jut out 

 beyond the segment. Tubercle iii is in line above spiracle, iv and 



