Insects, 7253 



blotch at the commencement of the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th segments; before and after 

 each of these blotches (he median stripe assumes a reddish hue, and again assumes a 

 deep black immediately after the red ; on each side of this varied median stripe is a 

 paler stripe, also very slender, and beyond these are three smoke-coloured stripes, rather 

 diffuse and ill-defined; the first of these on each side passes into the head, and termi- 

 nates on each side the mouth, as already described : on the back of each segment are 

 two or four black dots: the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th segments are slightly darker than the 

 rest ; the spiracles are black. Feeds on Clematis Vitalba (the traveller's joy), and is 

 full fed on the 16th September; spins a slight web, and remains in the pupa state 

 throughout the winter. — Edtvard Newman. 



Description of the Larva of Melanippe unangulata. — Body stout, rather attenuated 

 at both ends, rests with the head tucked in, the anterior part of the body, when dis- 

 turbed, being curled in, or curved in the manner of the Ionic volute. Head brown, 

 beautifully dotted and marked with black : body smoky brown, delicately mottled and 

 varied; the back may be said to have seven smoke-coloured stripes, alternating with 

 paler stripes : the median stripe is not perceptible on either the 2nd or 13lh segment, 

 but is distinct and uninterrupted on the 3rd and 4th segments ; on the 6th, 6th, 7th 

 and 8th segments it is suddenly dilated anteriorly, and more gradually posteriorly, and 

 is extremely attenuated and scarcely perceptible on the remaining segments ; on each 

 of the interstices between the segments, commencing between the 4th and 5th, is a 

 short transverse reddish band, terminated at each extremity by a longitudinal black 

 spot ; the remaining smoke-coloured stripes, three in number on each side of the me- 

 dian stripe, are scarcely susceptible of verbal definition : each segment of the belly 

 after the 4th has a cluster of black dots which are not present in any other British 

 species of the genus, but Mr. Hellins informs me that markings of the same colour 

 and character occur in Cidaria picata. Feeds on Alsine media (chickweed), and is 

 full-fed on the 1st of August; spins its cocoon on or just under the surface of the 

 earth, and remains in the chrysalis state all the winter. In captivity it is sometimes 

 double-brooded, but not in a slate of nature. Mr. Hellins observes that the published 

 descriptions of the perfect insect, being drawn from captured or faded specimens, do 

 not mention the lovely purplish red tint which pervades the dark markings of the wings 

 and body while the moth is fresh from the pupa-case, but which cannot be shown in 

 the cabinet, as in a few weeks it seems totally to vanish. — Id. 



Description of the Larva of Melanippe rivata. — Head of nearly the same diameter 

 as the body, which is uniformly cylindrical : rests generally in a slightly bent posture, 

 but when disturbed tucks in the head, thus giving to the anterior portion of the body 

 the figure of the Ionic volute. Head dusky brown, with two darker brown lines 

 meeting on the crown : colour of the body red-brown or dingy brown, beautifully 

 variegated and mottled ; the 2nd and 3rd segments have a median black line, and on 

 each side of this is a direct white line, which extends into the 4th segment ; on each 

 of four succeeding segments is a somewhat horse-shoe-shaped median white mark ; 

 these marks might be called lozenge-shaped, but they are open at the posterior ex- 

 tremity ; on the lOlh segment, and extending thence to the extreme tip of the 13th, 

 is a broad median dark brown stripe, and, separated from this by a space equal to its 

 own diameter, is a white stripe of corresponding length, terminated at its anterior 

 extremity by a somewhat comma-shaped jet-black mark, which has u white dot in the 

 head of the comma ; on each side of the median markings is a series of white dots ; 

 the 3rd and 4th segments have two dots each, the 5th, 6th, 7ih and 8ih have four 



