166 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



very abundant, but all were more or less worn. We also 

 met with Vanessa Poljchloros, Lycaena Corydon, Eremobia 

 ocbroleuca, Dianthoecia Cucubali, Aspilates citraria (males 

 abundant, one female), and Crambus Warringtonellus (com- 

 monly). — H. Ramsay Cox ; West Dulwich, S.E. 



Parasites on Vanessa Vrticce. — The experience of Mr. 

 J. R. S. Clifford, " that the caterpillars of Vanessa Urticae 

 are remarkably exempt from ichneumons" (Entom. ii. 132, 

 and copied into No. 4 of the 'British Butterflies'), does not 

 agree with my observations on this species. A few years ago 

 1 collected a large number of chrysalids, and placed them in 

 a breeding-cage. But few butterflies appeared, whilst a 

 small species of ichneumon emerged in swarms ; the cage 

 became so full of them that I had sometimes to leave it open 

 in the garden for some time in order to get rid of them. The 

 ichneumon-cocoons are formed inside the chrysalis, not over 

 the dead larva, as in the Pieridae and others. — G. T, Porritt; 

 Huddersjield, August 5, 1870. 



Larv(B of Lyccena Arion, — I have read with great interest, 

 in the August number of the ' Entomologist,' Mr. Merrin's 

 observations on the female Lycasna Arion depositing her 

 eggs; also Mr. Newman's description of the egg; and I have 

 now the pleasure of advancing another step towards a know- 

 ledge of the life-history of this species. On the 2nd of July 

 I received from Mr. H. Marsden, of Gloucester, several 

 sprigs of thyme, on which were deposited eggs ; and on the 

 4th I found that the young larvae had emerged. The only 

 one I could then see was pinkish, with the head black. 

 I placed it on a fresh flower-head of thyme, to which it soon 

 attached itself so closely, and was so similar in appearance, 

 that it was with difl[]culty I could distinguish it. It fed well 

 until the 14th, when I found it stretched out at full length 

 along the midrib on the upper side of a thyme-leaf, and, it 

 being in the same position next day, I concluded that it was 

 about its first moult. A day later this was effected, and on 

 the following day (the 18th) I noted down the following 

 description : — Length about one-sixth of an inch, stout, but 

 Capering towards the head, which is much smaller than the 

 2nd segment. General colour dirty pink ; head brown and 

 shining. Behind the head is a large almost plate-like dull 

 black mark, from which extends the rather broad, con- 

 spicuous, rust-coloured dorsal line. Body sparingly clothed 



