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[July, 



The fact that the pupa is not attached or suspended in any way, either by the 

 anal extremity or by a silken band round the middle like the other Thecla is very 

 remarkable. 



Probably its habit is to lie near or on the ground among the thickest grass 

 and herbage. 



I leave the description of the larvae and green stumpy pupa to the practised 

 pen of my friend, Mr. Buckler, to whom I had the pleasure of sending specimens. 

 — Charles G. Barrett, Norwich, 17th May, 1869. 



Notes on the ea/rlier stages of Thecla rubi. — The larva of this species had long 

 been a desideratum to me, even after all the other British species of the genus, 

 some of which are very much scarcer in the perfect state, had been duly figured. 

 Perhaps the reason was that myself and friends tried to take it from the bramble 

 only; but although diligent search was made for it on that plant in localities where 

 the butterflies absolutely swarm, no one could find it for me ; nor would butterflies 

 shut up in a glass cylinder, with bramble buds and flowers, deposit their eggs on 

 them. Doubtless the larva has been found on bramble buds, as Albin's account of 

 it fully testifies, still I can now give two other food plants for it, which I cannot 

 help fancying are more to its taste. 



On 25th June, 1868, Mr. W. H. Harwood, of Colchester, who had made 

 acquaintance with the larva during the previous year, kindly sent me some fine 

 full-grown examples, beaten from broom. I lost not a moment in depicting them, 

 and no sooner were they done, than on the following day 1 received others from 

 Mr. C. Gr. Barrett, then at Haselmere, he having, quite by accident, discovered them 

 on Genista tinctoria, and most fortunately he was able to send me four in different 

 stages of growth. These from the Genista were not so brilliant in markings as 

 those from broom, but otherwise identical; and from both sets of larvaa the 

 perfect insects came forth from the 25th of April to 9th of May, 1869, very lovely 

 specimens. 



The full-grown larva is about f -inch in length, and gains nearly |-inch when 

 stretched out in walking ; thick in proportion and somewhat onisciform in shape, 

 flattened beneath, the head very small and retractile, the second and third seg- 

 ments rounded above, the others to the tenth inclusive have a dorsal hollow with 

 an eminence on each side of it, which slopes thence to the lateral ridge ; the last 

 three segments are rather flattened above. 



The ground colour is a bright yellowish olive-green, the hollow of the back is 

 a darker, full green, and down its centre runs the pale olive-green dorsal line, 

 which gradually widens and suddenly contracts on each segment throughout its 

 course, and becomes darker on the last three segments, and bordered there by a 

 yellowish stripe on each side ; from each eminence on the other segments a thick 

 bright yellow streak slants backwards and downwards, bounded beneath by an 

 equally thick streak of deep full green, most intense at its beginning on each seg- 

 ment ; the lateral ridge has a stripe of yellow beginning at the third segment and 

 running continuously round the anal extremity ; parallel to this and above the 

 spiracles is a faint indication of a stripe a little yellower than the ground colour ; 

 the head is pale brown with darker brown round the mouth ; the appearance of 

 the larva is velvety, caused by minute raised points bearing fine short bristles. 



