402 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



like the anceps, described above. It may be that Lederer's obscura 

 were, in part, anceps, Staud. 



Comparison of A. geryon and A. statices. — A. geryon is much less 

 than A. statices, the two sexes of the former being much more nearly of 

 the same size than are those of the latter. Compared with those of A. 

 statices, the antennae of A. geryon are shorter and stouter in the male ; 

 the fore- wings green, more or less glossed with gold, rarely blue. The 

 hind-wings are more transparent than those of A. statices, and so 

 appear somewhat blacker. 



Egg. — The eggs are sometimes deposited singly, but more often 

 in little patches of five or six, placed generally side by side in two 

 rows. The egg is, according to Buckler, " just like that of A. statices, 

 but, perhaps, a trifle smaller ; it is also yellow in colour." Chapman 

 states, however, that the egg of A. geryon is larger than those of A. 

 statices and R. globular iae. Hellins says that eggs laid between July 

 lst-5th began to hatch on July 15th. Horton had eggs laid on June 

 17th, 1864, these hatched on July 20th. 



Habits of larva. — The larva hatches during July, and feeds on 

 rock-rose (Helianthemum vulgare), gnawing at first the surface of a 

 flower-bud or leaf. It then burrows into the leaf, and eats out a little 

 blotch, although the larva never seems to insert more than half of 

 its body into its burrow. This mining habit of the young larva was first 

 discovered by Horton in 1864. When about a month old the larvae 

 eat away patches from the underside of the leaves, leaving the upper 

 skin untouched. The hybernated larva may be found in May on 

 Helianthemum. The full-grown larvae eat the whole substance of a 

 leaf, or even the tender stem of a twig, and, like A. statices, this species 

 feeds best in the sunshine. A larva which Hellins tried with sorrel 

 refused to eat. Edmunds found larvae, pupae (about 100), and imagines 

 on May 22nd, 1863, the larvae on Helianthemum ; these also refused 

 sorrel. Horton records finding A. geryon as larva, pupa and imago 

 on the same day (May 18th, 1864). The larvae are usually full-fed 

 in May (sometimes in April) . Buckler notes them as commencing to 

 spin May 2nd, 1863, whilst larvae sent to him on April 19th, and May 

 10th, 1886, began to make their cocoons towards the end of May, although 

 three did not do so until June 25th. Horton could see no difference 

 between the eggs and young larvae of A. geryon and A. statices, but the 

 larvae of the former would not eat sorrel (Rumex acetosa) nor those of 

 the latter, Heliantheimun. Newman's statement (Zool., xxi., p. 8694), 

 that, not having Helianthemum, he " gave the larvae Rumex acetosella, on 

 which they arrived at maturity," therefore, requires confirmation, 

 especially as in Brit. Moths, p. 472, he contradicts this statement, 

 and says " that the food-plants of A. statices and A. geryon are totally 

 different, that of the common Forester {A. statices) being R. acetosella." 

 Nicholson found the larva of A. geryon in the Coombe (Lewes) on 

 May 13th, 1885 ; it commenced to spin on May 25th. 



Larva. — We are indebted to Chapman for our knowledge of the 

 structure of the newly -hatched larva. Each segment has trapezoidal tuber- 

 cles (i, ii), with hairs having globular, jointed bases. As in the larva 

 of R. globulariae, the trapezoidals on either side are conjoined, to 

 some extent, into one tubercle, though the hairs are distinct. The 

 tubercles are also, even, united somewhat by a slightly raised base, 

 with those of the opposite side, Although the spines representing 



