246 



THE ENTOMOLOGIST S RECORD. 



A few notes on rearing Lowela (Chrysophanus) alciphron var. 



gordius. 



By E. M. PEIDEAUX. 



A female of this insect was captured in the Rhone Valley, near 

 Martigny, on June 23rd, 1905, which was persuaded to lay a few eggs 

 on the stems and leaves of common sorrel. (A photo-micrograph of 

 some of these ova, taken by Mr. Tonge, has already appeared in Mr. 

 Tutt's Natural History of British Butterflies, and was reproduced in 

 this magazine, December, 1905.) The ova began to hatch on July 

 12th, thus disproving, in this instance, at least, the statement that 

 the species hybernates as an egg. 



The young larvffi closely resemble those of Rumicia phlaeas in 

 appearance and habits, being very sluggish then and during their 

 entire larval life. At this stage they are closely covered with long, 

 relatively stout, hairs, pointing slightly backwards ; they make inroads 

 into the green substance of the leaves of Rumex acetosa, leaving the 

 upper epidermis intact. The larvae moulted three times before 

 hybernation, after the first moult obtaining, more or less, the 

 characteristic " wood-louse " shape ; they are entirely green through- 

 out their larval stages, covered with short, pale, pinkish-brown 

 bristles ; none of my specimens showed any limit of the pinkish 

 linear lines seen in Pi. phlaeas. Early in November, with considerable 

 unanimity, the entire thirteen larvae that I then possessed, ceased 

 feeding, and attached themselves rather loosely to the sorrel leaves, 

 where they were all found, somewhat shrunken in size, in the follow- 

 ing March, when they were transferred to fresh sorrel leaves, on 

 which, when the weather was warm, they very leisurely began again 

 to feed. 



The black larval head is scarcely ever visible, even during feeding, 

 the segments behind it enclosing and enfolding it. Except during the 

 moulting process, the least touch is sufficient to dislodge the larva 

 from its foodplant ; should it fall upon its back, the leisurely manner 

 in which it twists itself back on its feet characterises its sluggish 

 habits and attitudes under all conditions. 



The larvae either retired under dead leaves for pupation, or spun 

 up under the lid of their cage. There is a fairly substantial thoracic 

 girdle, the cremastral attachment being but slight. The pupa is 

 dumpy in shape, and pale olive-brown in colour, mottled with darker 

 shades. As in the case of the other Chrysophanid pupae, the dorsal 

 and abdominal areas are covered with stalked, glassy, parachute- 

 shaped prominences. Of the thirteen larvae, one was lost by a mis- 

 adventure ; eleven of the remainder began pupating on May 25th, 1906, 

 the first butterfly being disclosed on June 23rd, in all, four males and 

 seven females (in the order given) resulting. 



The specimens are of average size, the males resemble those 

 captured in the same locality as the parent female last year, of a light 

 type, the purple flush being rather in the nature of a pale mauve, 

 general, suffusion. 



The thirteenth larva, oddly enough, ceased feeding after the lasl 

 moult, shrank somewhat in size, and attached itself to the side of ii 

 cage, and remained, aestivating, in this situation for about thre] 

 months. Early in September it again showed signs of activity, and 

 now (September 11th) apparently feeding up with a view to pupatioi 



