MALACOSOMA NEUSTRIA. 561 



in front by a suture, but which does not separate from it on dehiscence ; 

 this is apparently the dorsal head-piece ; the caput, to which the antenna? 

 and eye-pieces articulate, is slightly ventral in position, and bears a few 

 hairs as does also a small triangle beneath it and just above the mouth- 

 parts ; these latter show up very clearly, being pale brown in colour, 

 very delicate in appearance, and differing greatly from any other 

 portion of the pupa; the 1st abdominal segment is very short, 

 the 2nd, 3rd and 4th increase in size, the 4th being the largest of the 

 body, the forewings are small, short, extending to nearly the end of the 

 4th abdominal ; a narrow strip of the hindwings runs from the meta- 

 thorax to about three-quarters over the 3rd abdominal ; the tips of 

 the third pair of legs show just beyond the wing apices, the second 

 pair comes immediately inside the antennae, and extends to about the 

 end of the 3rd abdominal segment ; the first pair (? last joint) extends 

 but very slightly, if at all, beyond the antennae ; the antenna? are short, 

 commence just above the eyes, then turn slightly outwards for about 

 half their length, then inwards somewhat abruptly and end at about 

 the level of suture between the 2nd and 3rd abdominal segments ; the 

 first half is fairly broad, but after they turn medio-ventrally they 

 dwindle rapidly and are distinctly narrow for the cases of pectinated 

 antennae ; the eye is large, and divided, so that a small and more 

 highly-glazed slip comes next the antenna. Male pupa : More curved 

 ventrally than the female pupa, differs slightly in shape and proportion 

 of parts, but apparently not structurally, except that the antenna? 

 appear to be proportionally rather larger. Fenn describes the pupa as 

 being "uniform, dull, dark brown in colour, the last three segments 

 tapering to a very blunt point ; the dorsum, and abdomen covered with 

 short bristles, the antenna? and spiracles strongly defined.' 1 Stephens 

 describes it as " dull lead colour covered with fine powder." Bork- 

 hausen notes it as " somewhat elongated, very soft, dark brown in 

 colour, thickly coated with yellow powder." He adds that the pupal 

 stage lasts from three to four weeks. Fenn observes that the pupa 

 is very lively when touched. 



Parasites. — Exorista vulgaris, Fall. (Bignell), Phorocera cilipeda 

 (Norgate teste Bignell), Apanteles reconditus, Nees (Rondani), Cryptus 

 omatus, Grv. (Rondani), Metopus necatorius, Fab. (Rondani). 



Food-plants. — -Trees, the larva polyphagous (Linne), almost all 

 trees and shrubs (Milliere), all fruit-trees, rose, and almost anything 

 (E. Harrison), Cotoneaster. (Watts), osier (Jefferys), birch (Turner), 

 currant (Morley), plum (Grover), pear (Newman), elm (Edelsten), 

 bramble (Luff), rose, oak, sloe, crab-apple (Montgomery), laurel 

 (Fuller), sallow, plum, apple (Carr), fruit-trees (Riihl), willow, poplar, 

 (Hering), almond (Freeman), hawthorn, hazel, pear (Burraud), quince, 

 cherry, apricot, beech, maple, raspberry, privet, white and black alder, 

 juniper (Schroder). 



Habits and Habitat. — The habits of the perfect insect are little 

 known. The male is rarely found at rest, unless it be in the after- 

 noon, sitting on the cocoon from which it has just emerged, or a 

 female sitting on a leaf near where it has just laid its eggs, or beaten 

 into the umbrella or beating-tray, when working for larvae. Sheldon 

 netted a male flying at dusk, at Morthoe, and its habit is certainly to 

 fly by night, and from 9 p.m. -10 p.m. the males are, on some 

 occasions, attracted to light in amazing numbers, and their mad flight 



j ,t 



