THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 3 



segments each possess a shining jet-black plate, that on the 

 2nd segment being much the largest of the three, the 5th and 

 6th segments having only a central black dot; the ventral 

 legs are white, and have the front part of the base arched 

 over by a semicircular black band ; the penultimate segment 

 is decorated with two small black dots, which are placed in 

 the centre of that segment ; the anal legs are more nearly 

 surrounded, and that by a thicker black band, than any other 

 internal-feeding tenthredinidous larva that 1 have met with. 

 In addition to all the above markings, there are a number of 

 little shining black dots arranged along the sides of the 

 body ; for instance, the 2nd segment has a black spot on 

 each side ; sometimes there are three black spots on the 3rd 

 segment, two at the top and one at the bottom ; on the other 

 hand, some individuals have quite a cluster of little spots on 

 the sides of this segment: the 4th segment has three black 

 spots arranged in a line down the middle ; the sides of the 

 remaining segments are each decorated with four black spots, 

 the anterior pair being smaller than the others. After slightly 

 extending its blotch the larva prepares to enter upon its first 

 ecdysis ; it leaves' off feeding and becomes motionless; by 

 and by it throws off its old skin in an entire form : it is now 

 quite spotless, but its markings slowly reappear, the creature 

 simultaneously regaining its strength ; and if it is annoyed at 

 this time it gives its body a slight angry jerk, but it is unable 

 to move its head ; it soon, however, recovers itself, and 

 resumes its feeding. 



The female parent, in depositing her eggs for the first 

 brood of larvae, very often only places a single egg on a leaf, 

 and the larva consequently becomes a solitary feeder ; it has, 

 however, been noticed that a larva so situated will sometimes 

 consume the whole interior of the leaf before it becomes full- 

 fed. In the autumnal brood it is a somewhat common 

 occurrence to meet with birch-leaves dotted with as many as 

 seven little blotches, arranged along the base, sides and tip 

 of the leaf, each little blotch being occupied by a larval 

 tenant. One leaf having to give sustenance to so many 

 active little mouths, as a natural consequence very soon 

 becomes deprived of its parenchyma, the cavity thus caused 

 in ihe leaf being partially filled up with the cast-off skins and 

 "frass" of the contained larvae. When the second ecdysis 



