7236 Insects. 



ihorn), Pyrus communis (pear), &c. Full fed on the 16lh September. — Edward 

 Newman. 



Description of the Larva of Acronycta teporina. — When disturbed falls off, and for 

 a short lime feigns death, in a semicircular posture; but its outline is concealed by 

 the length of its hairs. Colour pale delicate green, completely covered with long 

 curved silky hairs, all of them directed backwards ; these hairs are either hoary white, 

 or delicate pale canary-colour, or more decidedly yellow, and the body has a tendency 

 lo a similar variation in colour, although its normal tint is green : there are small 

 erect fascicles of short black hairs on the back of the 4th and 6th segments, and single 

 erect black hairs in a row on both sides. It feeds on Betula alba (birch), and is full 

 fed on the 20th of September, when, concealing itself in a crevice of the bark, 

 it makes a little excavation, in which it changes to a pupa, and remains in that 

 state all the winter. In confinement it will gnaw a hole in cork about the circum- 

 ference of its body, and after entering, gum up the mouth of the hole, so that its ulte- 

 rior proceedings are completely concealed. — Id. 



Description of the Larva of Acronycta Ligustri. — Will not roll in a ring when 

 handled. Head delicate green and almost transparent, very shining, the mouth dark 

 brown or almost black. Body glaucouc-green, with a very narrow median white 

 stripe down the back, not always extending to the 2nd or 13lh segment ; another 

 stripe, rather broader than the mediivn stripe and of a yellowish white on each side, 

 extends from the head the entire length of the larva ; this is about equidistant between 

 the dorsal stripe and the spiracles ; each segment emits eight, ten or twelve delicate 

 silky-looking bristles. Feeds on Ligustrum vulgare (privet), and is full fed on the 

 26th of September.— /(i. 



Description of the Larva of Acronycta Rumicis. — Eolls in a loose ring when 

 touched; has all the segments distinctly tumid, and the interstices between them 

 deeply incised, as in the fasciculate larvae of the Saturniadae. Head small, shining 

 and black, and emitting a few ferruginous hairs : each segment of the body has a cir- 

 cular series of ten warts, and each wart emits a number of stiflf, straight, ferruginous 

 bristles, which radiate from the wart as from a centre. Colour intensely black above 

 and below ; down the centre of the back is a series of orange-vermilion markings, two 

 on each segment, except the second ; the first of these bright markings is longitudinal, 

 the second transverse ; on each side of this median series is a subdorsal series of snowy- 

 white markings, indistinct on the 2nd and 3rd segments, and absent from the 4th; 

 the spiracles are snowy white, and beneath the spiracles on each side is a variegated 

 stripe passing through every segment, except the 13lh ; on each segment this stripe is 

 orange-red in the middle, yellow-white on the sides. Feeds on Urtica dioica 

 (stinging nettle), and is full fed on the 20th of September. — Id. 



Description of the Larva of Mamestra Persicarice. — Rolls in a tight ring when dis- 

 turbed. Head rather small and partially withdrawn into the 2nd segment, when at 

 rest. Body smooth, very stout, attenuated anteriorly ; 12th segment largest, tumid, 

 and obtusely humped. Colour various, bright green, dingy green, rosy brown or dark 

 brown ; as in most other cases where this diflference of colour prevails, the brown spe- 

 cimens produce males, the green ones females : in the following definition I describe 

 only the intensity, not the colour of the markings. Head shining, pale, mottled with 

 darker; 2nd segment with a nearly square dark velvety patch on the back, 

 bounded on each side by a longitudinal white line, and being intersected in 

 the middle by a third longitudinal white line; a pale narrow median stripe com-- 



