﻿§£ THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



As the shortest way of describing this process, I will call it 

 cutting out a lid with a sardine opener. Cerura bursts an 

 irregular lid, having first softened the place with some fluid, and 

 in many instances the broken lid falls back for a time into 

 its place ; the lid is irregular in form, often in several pieces, 

 just as accident decides ; but milhauseri marks out with his 

 sardine-opener an exact definite lid, of which there is no trace or 

 indication in the construction of the cocoon, and continues 

 cutting on this exact line until the lid is set free. This lid is of 

 oval shape, but with the anterior margin more rounded than the 

 posterior. There is something more to be learnt about the action 

 of this sardine-opener than I have yet ascertained, but I can give 

 a few more particulars. First, as to the implement itself. In the 

 pupa, just in front of the eyes and between the bases of the 

 antennae, is a deep pit, having at the bases of the antennae, on 

 either side, a sharp margin, almost a horn ; stretching up from 

 below, from the mouth region towards the pit, is a flat surface 

 slightly furrowed and wrinkled, and terminating at the front 

 margin of the deep pit (though one would say at first sight in the 

 middle of it), in a straight spine projecting well beyond the general 

 surface of the pupa, sharply pointed and polished ; a slight ridge 

 stretches back from the spine through the pit, and fades out on to 

 the surface of the pupa, so that the pit might be described as a 

 double furrow, stretching from before backwards. This spine is 

 the sardine-opener, and by a lateral rotatory movement of the 

 pupa, which obtains its fulcrum from the tightness with which it 

 is grasped by the cocoon, it traverses over and over again the 

 outlines of the lid till it is cut through. 



I have not seen this operation performed, for the reason that 

 when you attempt to see it you stop it ; but I have caught the 

 creature actually at work, and can add this further fact, that the 

 spine in some way applies to its line of action a softening fluid, 

 and it is the softened gum that it actually cuts or divides. 



The fluid no doubt comes from the same mouth-glands as in 

 other cocoon-softening species, but the precise means by which it 

 is guided by the spine I have not ascertained ; whether the pit at 

 its base has anything to do with it I cannot say, or whether this 

 pit is a means of giving this portion of the pupa-case, which 

 includes the eye-covers, a firm attachment to the moth ; but very 

 often it remains attached to the moth after the rest of the pupa- 

 case has been pushed away backwards. 



The imago is very delicate and easily rubbed, and such a 

 specimen is a very disappointing representative of so curious a 

 life-history ; but a specimen in fine condition, from its delicate 

 tints and unusual markings is very pleasing. 

 Firbank, Hereford. 



