THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 431 



the seeds ; but when the capsule becomes too small for its 

 dwelling, it bores into the stem of the plant, feeding on the 

 soft interior, the entrance to which it covers with a close 

 net-work of silk, where it ejects its frass. It leaves the 

 hollow of the stem at times to feed upon the seeds of the 

 plant, but wriggles back into it on the least alarm. When 

 full fed it is about eight lines long ; rather attenuated ; head and 

 2nd segment small ; 3rd segment stoutest of all : from this it 

 tapers gradually to the anal extremity. The skin is in loose 

 folds along the spiracles ; crown of the head pale brown ; 

 cheeks black ; body light green above, paler beneath ; 

 dorsal line darker, distinct; subdorsal lines broad, dark 

 green, sometimes reddish brown. On the 3rd and 12th 

 segments are two distinct ocellated spots, black with a white 

 centre, from each of which grows a stiff bristle ; also on each 

 segment are several minute black dots. The larva spins for 

 itself under ground a close cylindrical silken cocoon, mingled 

 with grains of sand ; and in this it changes to a pale delicate- 

 looking pupa. The imago does not emerge until July, thus 

 remaining in the pupa state nearly ten months. I have never 

 taken the imago on the wing, but. the larva is not rare 

 at times on the Salsola in this district, and its presence, 

 when young, may be easily detected by the withered appear- 

 ance of the tops of the stems, and, when more mature, by the 

 small webs full of frass and sand. The early part of Septem- 

 ber is the best time to search for it, and I have no doubt that 

 it will eventually be found wherever its food-plant abounds. 

 N.B. — The collector, if thin-skinned, should be armed with a 

 pair of scissors or strong gloves, as the armature of the leaves 

 makes painful punctures. To non-botanists I would say the 

 Salsola resembles most a furze-bush growing out of the bare 

 sand. — Henry Moncreaff ; September 21, 1871. 



Notes on Oak-apples. — The plan of creation requires a 

 continual appearance and disappearance of material exist- 

 ence. Each form of life is from dust ; and having performed 

 its part, or completed its circle, returns to dust, which is 

 again gathered up into new creatures ; and these numberless 

 and ever-varying circles constitute the great round of exist- 

 ence, and the whole work is preserved in order by the control 

 which the parts exercise upon each other. The oak-leaf falls 

 and returns to dust, which serves lor the growth of the oak, 



2 c 2 



