~ 
1871.] 91 
When full grown the larva is rather over one inch and one-eighth in length, 
in shape moderately slender; viewed from above it appears of nearly uniform 
stoutness throughout, but viewed sideways the segments 7—10 are rather stouter 
than the rest ; the head is broad, flattened in front, and rounded at the sides, so as 
to be equal in width to the second segment, which—together with the third and 
fourth—is a little flattened also; the fifth is more cylindrical, and hence has the 
appearance of being a trifle thinner than the rest; the skin is tough, furnished with 
a few bristles, and the back of the second segment is glossy, suggesting a sort of 
plate there ; a pair of rather conspicuous warts on twelfth segment. 
Probably there are variations more or less in the colouring, but the larve I had 
were alike, and might be roughly described as being of a dark purplish-brown with 
yellow markings ; but to pick out the arrangement of the markings was no easy 
matter. The ground colour of the back was pale, dull, ochreous-yellow, and 
through it a number of fine, brownish lines, not parallel throughout, but approach- 
ing and receding, so as to form a pattern ; of these two very fine ones through the 
centre of the back, enclosing a thread of the pale ground; on either side of this 
pair another darker brown line, and then again another wavy one, touching the 
broad, deep, purplish stripe which occupied the side from the bead to the twelfth 
segment, on which it mounted up the back, and meeting the stripe from the other 
side, formed there a A. mark pointing forwards, and bearing on it the warts of the 
same colour; below the broad stripe a pale yellow thread, and below this a blackish- 
purple thread; in the spiracular region, the front of each segment sulphur-yellow, 
the hinder part dull ochreous; here also could be seen indications of two fine, 
purplish lines, showing at the beginning and end of each segment, but leaving a 
clear space for the black spiracles ; another line of the same colour below, thicken- 
ing under each spiracle: the belly dark purplish-brown, with a central, pale, yel- 
lowish stripe, opening widest and enclosing a short, black streak in the middle of 
each segment, and edged with black; a very fine, pale, yellow line also through 
the dark purplish-brown of each side of the belly: the head horny, and dull red- 
dish in colour, with a tranverse band of dark greyish-brown across the face; legs 
and hinder part of anal segment a dull brownish-ochreous. 
The cocoon is formed of brownish silk inside, slight but close in texture, and 
outside of fine particles of earth, and placed just below the surface; the pupa is 
stoutish in front, tapering rapidly behind, ending in a stout spike with two fine 
points; in the male the wing cases short, and the antenna cases distinct, showing 
pectinations ; the skin smooth and shining, reddish-brown in colour.—J. HELLINs, 
Exeter, July, 1871. 
Description of the larva of Acidalia strigilata (prataria, Bdv.).—On the 28th of 
August, 1870, I received from my friend, Mr, J. P. Barrett, of Peckham, eight young 
larvee of this insect, obtained from eges deposited by moths captured by him during 
the previous month at Folkestone. They fed on Polygonwm aviculare until autumn, 
when they began to hybernate, having attained the length of about three-quarters 
ofan inch. At the beginning of April, not being able to procure knot-grass for 
them, dandelion was substituted, on which they at once commenced to feed, show- 
ing a preference for the withered leaves. By May 12th, the only larva I had left 
had reached an inch and a quarter in length, and on June 2nd, it being nearly full- 
grown, I took down the following description :— 
