278 Transactions. — Zoology. 



had also two siDinous processes near its tail, which were three lines long 

 and soft. The larvae were all very active, and kept incessantly movuag 

 their long flexible antenna, or feelers, in all directions ; in this res^Dect 

 more resembling those of a wasp or hornet, or some irascible perfect insect. 

 On the 27tli January, the biggest larva (No, 1) commenced spinning a 

 kind of fine web, by which it suspended itself by the tail only, and with no 

 silky band around its body, in a box with a glass top, in which I kept them. 

 The second large one (No. 2) did the same on the following day, January 

 28th, while the small one (No. 3), which I saw was not fully matured (and 

 was apparently passing an uncomfortable kind of life, through its not 

 • having any proper food), did not enter into its pupa state until the 31st of 

 January, or early on the 1st of February. 



No. 1 emerged from its pupa state on the 15th of February; No. 2 on 

 February 16th ; and No. 3 on February 18th, being also imperfectly 

 developed and of smaller size ; so that 19-20 days is the time taken for its 

 transformation, from its entering into the pupa state and its emerging a 

 perfect insect. 



The pupa was an elegant object, being 10-11 lines long and 6 lines wide 

 (at its widest part), smooth, and of a pale pea-green colour, somewhat resem- 

 bling in outline a small acorn in its cup, the stem of the cup (or calyx) 

 being the produced x^oint and the w^eb by which it was suspended. Around 

 the lower part of the pupa (as hanging) was a row of small circular dots, of 

 a iDale gold colour, having a metallic glistening appearance ; while around 

 the i3upa in its widest part, and standing out a little from it, was a ridged 

 crest or band, porcated towards the edge, which was crenulated ; this, 

 above, had also that metallic glistening appearance, while underneath, and 

 seen from below, it was intensely black. 



The accompanying wood-cut represents (a) the 

 pupa, natural size, and (bj the ridged band, seen 

 from below, magnified. 



I have not unfi-equently seen an ear-ring of green- 

 stone worn by the Maoris of exactly the same hue of 

 green as these pupae . 



But, if I was pleased with the elegant and unique 

 appearance of the chrysalis, I was much more so with 

 what I unexpectedly saw afterwards. I had watched 

 them pretty narrowly, and when I found that No. 1 had quitted its pupa 

 state on the 15th February, I watched No. 2 closely, and on the day after 

 (the 16th) I was rewarded and gratified in seeing the perfect insect break 

 forth into active life ! I gazed with astonishment, and was almost spell- 

 bound — rivetted, as it were, forhalf-an-hour ; and never have I seen a more 

 interesting living gorgeous spectacle — one which I can never forget. 



