1888.] 39 



dodonaa, at large, use this period to fly upwards and settle among the branches and 

 leaves (if out) ; the object being clearly greater safoty. This accounts for the 

 comparative rarity of such species on trunks of trees, except they bo met with 

 immediately on emergence, and that fertile females found on trunks arc so frequently 

 cripples, having been unable to take this preliminary flight. — Id. 



Variation in Arctia mendica. — From a batch of eggs of Arctia mendica found 

 on a dock leaf here last year, I have this season roared a beautiful and variable scries 

 of imagines. The moth here is often more spotted than the usual form of the species 

 as generally known, and frequently has a band, more or less broken, of large black 

 spots inside the margin of the hind-wings ; but I was quite unprepared for the 

 extent of variation exhibited in theso bred specimens. 44 specimens (25 $ and 19 

 $ ) emerged, and of them not more than about 8, including both sexes, approach 

 the ordinary type of the species. The ground colour of many of the $ shows a 

 creamy tint, very few being of the " satin "-white, as usually seen ; nearly all have a 

 closely arranged band of largo black spots round the inner margin of tho hind- 

 wings ; many have also a narrow but clear black edging to the base of the fore-wings, 

 though in others the margin is only spotted. The most extreme specimen has also 

 in addition a curved central band of black, and three black streaks, besides spots on 

 each of the fore-wings ; and from this form the series shows a gradual range of 

 variation to almost tho ordinary form. The $ s exactly correspond in markings with 

 the $ s ; they are darker, I think, than any I ever saw before, but still the band of 

 black spots on the hind-wings, and all the bars, streaks and spots of the fore-wings, 

 even to the basal edging, can be distinctly seen. — Q-eo. T. Poeeitt, Huddersfield : 

 June 12th, 1888. 



Larva of Douglasia ocnerostomella. — This larva has been described by Ilerr 

 Ilerms, of Alt-Damm, near Stettin, in tho Stettin. Ent. Zeit., 1888, p. 82. It feeds 

 on the pith of the stem of Echium vulgare, and is full fed at the end of October. 

 Tho moth had been bred in this country from dry Echium stems, as far back as 

 1856 (see Ent. Ann., 1857, p. 125), but tho habit of the larva was unknown. The 

 larva forms a firm cocoon, mixed with particles of the pith, inside the stem, but docs 

 not assume the pupa state till the following spring. Hcrr Herms states that it was 

 owing to the suggestion of Major Ilerms, who had received from Herr Stange, of 

 Eriedland (Mecklenburg), Echium stems containing cocoons, that he had been led 

 to find these larva? in his own neighbourhood. — H. T. Stainton, Mountsfiold, 

 Lowisham : June 9th, 1888. 



Larva of an Agdistis on Artemisia campestris (Agdistis adactyla). — A discovery 

 has just been made which may provo of interest to some English Micro-Lepidop- 

 terists. Herr Stange, to whom wo are already indebted for tho discovery of Oxyptilus 

 leonuri (on Leonurus cardiaca), and for the natural history of Douglasia ocnerosto- 

 mella (in the stems of Echium), has sent me three Agdistis larvse, which he found, 

 living well concealed, amongst the stems of Artemisia campestris. In July, 1887, I 

 noticed that Agdistis adactyla was flying in plenty amongst Artemisia campestris 

 near Stettin. I have therefore written to Dr. Schlcich to urge him to follow up this 

 discovery there. 



Tho larva (from 12 to 14 mm. long) is dark ashy-grey, with two pale lateral 



