SEASONAL POLYMORPHISM. 43 



dorsal line, even quite black ; the white gets yellowish towards spin- 

 ning up. The lateral red tubercles are usually very brilliant. 



The sizes of the heads at each instar are distinctive. 



The moths pair as soon as an opportunity offers. The female, 

 which emerges from the cocoon and rests on it, is supplied with good 

 legs and antennse. 



She lays her eggs in a mass on the cocoon, or beside it, if she has 

 moved, or wherever she may happen to be. The eggs are intermixed 

 with wool from the body and with some glutinous material that makes 

 them adhere, as a solid lump. The egg mass is laid in layers, and 

 each layer is covered outside by a separate line of wool, so that a newly 

 laid mass is rather neat with its rows of felted thatch. Without any 

 special interference these rows gradually become less obvious and the 

 covering looks more uniform, possibly by the contraction of the cement- 

 ing material. An unfertilised female lays her eggs irregularly, some- 

 times in a long string, in which case the cementing material, which 

 cannot be seen in an egg mass, exhibits very numerous pearl-like air 

 bubbles. 



There is a good deal of variation in the male moths, from very 

 dark to quite pale, and in the intensity of the markings, and as to 

 which of these are more pronounced than others. There is also great 

 variation in colour of the females. The general body is pale mouse 

 colour, but th9 wool clothing the last segments, used for covering the 

 eggs, varies much, from pure white to nearly black. 



I was very much struck by the healthiness and vigour of the larva. 

 I do not think I exaggerate in saying that none died except by accident, 

 though I had a good many of them unduly crowded at times. 



I was very careful to let none escape, and I have now many eggs 

 that I must destroy, as it was obvious that they would be a serious 

 plague to our apples and plums, if they were as healthy and hardy at 

 large as they were in captivity. It is very probable that, as natives of 

 California, our climate would not suit them, and an attempt to accli- 

 matise them here would be as unsuccessful as such attempts with 

 Lymantria dispar are. Nevertheless, I feel satisfied that such an 

 attempt would be quite unjustifiable. 



Seasonal Polymorphism and Races of some European Grypocera 

 and Khopalocera. 



By EOGER VERITY, M.D. 



[Corrections and Emendations. — p. 27, 1. 17, for "less greenish" 

 put "variegated ; " 1. 25, for " unknown " put " only found once ; " 

 1. 29, before " form " insert " western." 



p. 28, 1. 32, correct to asabinus ; 1. 44, after " female " insert 

 " chiefly belongs to the form intermedia, Stef., which ; " last 1., for 

 " some " put " only a few ; " 1. 11, " alle " = " delle." 



p. 29, for blensei put cleusei. 



p. 30, 1. 31, after " characters " insert " as compared to the 

 nymotypical one ; " 1. 41, ram. = m. 



p. 31, 1. 9, before "very" insert "always;" 1. 12, vestae = veotae ; 

 1. 14, turatii = turati ; 1. 19, splendida = s2jlendens.] 



Agriades thersites (Cant.), Chapm., race meridiana, mihi : first 



