74 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



perfect insect appears in June. The precise period of deposition of the ova is 

 unknown. The caterpillar hatches in July, and passes through the first winter in this 

 condition. Calluna vulgaris constitutes its principal food. In every succeeding 

 skin except the last, the hairs investing it are so coloured as to represent a series 

 of circular ash-grey spots arranged along the dorsal region of the caterpillar, and 

 increasing in size as the caterpillar grows. From the last skin these spots wholly 

 disappear, and it then resembles, in colour and markings, the caterpillar of the 

 common species, and may be readily confounded with it by those who have had 

 no opportunity of observing the caterpillar in the successive stages of its development. 

 It passes into the chrysalis stage invariably in September, and goes through the ensuing 

 winter and spring in that state, the cocoon being of a deep muddy-brown colour, so 

 that two entire years are consumed in the process of evolution. The antenna of the 

 male is more closely and delicately pectinated than in the preceding species ; it 

 consists of 84 pieces not concealed by fine hairs, and measures fully half-an-inch 

 in length. The antenna of the ? is also stronger and longer than in the % of L. 

 qiiei-cus. The size of the insect is larger and the prevailing colours deeper than 

 in the first species, and a rich, glossy piece not seen in that insect is exhibited on 

 the wings of both sexes. It may, perhaps, be objected that L. querciis sometimes 

 passes a second winter in chrysalis ; this, however, constitutes the exception, not 

 the rule. The same phenomenon has occasionally been observed in our new species, 

 and two, and even three, winters have elapsed ere the insect has emerged from its 

 cocoon. Size and colour, it may be argued, are very uncertaui characters for the . 

 discrimination of species. Taken by themselves they are certainly fallacious, 

 but acquire considerable value when invariably connected, as in the present 

 instance, with other more solid and important differences of structure and 

 habit, and, I may affirm that many species universally acknowledged as distinct 

 are founded upon characters much less strongly marked and invariable than 

 those distinguishing L. quercus from the new species that Mr. Weaver has had 

 the honour first clearly to identify, and which he has kindly deputed me the 

 pleasant task of thus imperfectly introducing to the scientific world. It is gratifying 

 to add that the opinions of Mr. Weaver and myself on this interesting subject 

 derive powerful confirmation from the testimony of your able correspondent, Mr. 

 Stainton, to whose remarks (Zool., hi., p. 1091) I beg leave to refer the curious 

 reader (Palmer). The first description of the imago was made by Guenee [Ann. 

 Soc. Ent. France, (3), vi., p. 447) and a later comparative one (loc. cit., (4), viii., 

 p. 410), which reads: " Callunae. 3. D'un brun chocolat un peu transparent. 

 Grand. Ailes oblongues : les inferieures ovales. Ces bandcs concolores aux quatre 

 ailes ; celle des superieures large, regulierement sinuee en S du cote interne, tres- 

 retrecie au bord interne, frequemment dentee, touchant du cote exterieur a un 

 large espace plus clair et transparent, marque de nervules foncees ; celle des in- 

 ferieures peu arquee, mais offrant un sinus a Tangle anal ; l'espace terminal 

 largement d'un brun pur sur lequel tranche la frange d'un jaune clair. Une tache 

 humerale formee par des poils jaunes. Antennes plus longues, a tige d'un gris 

 bum avec une tache plus foncee precedant Text remits, qui est blanche. ? . Grande 

 ct oblongue ; d'un jaune qui a a la fois quelque chose de violatre et de verdatre ; 

 ailes un peu transparentes par places, a bandes tres-distinctes, souvent un peu 

 dentees ; les superieures ayant cette bande precedee d'une ligne dentee d'un brun 

 violet, les inferieures a bord teiminal d'un brun roux comme la base; frange 

 brunatie aux premieres, jaune aux secondes ; nervines concolores mais se dessinant 

 sur la transparence du fond ; poils de la base tres touflus et reproduisant parfois la 

 tache humerale." OVUM : Somewhat cylindrical in shape, with rounded ends. The 

 length: breadth: height:: 3: 2: 2. There is a somewhat irregularly oval depression 

 centrally on the upper surface. Theegg appears creamy-brown in colour to the naked 

 eye, with rather darker brown markings; the micropyle is placed at one end ol the 

 egg, and appears as a small brown-black dot to the naked eye. Under a two- 

 thirds lens the opalescent character of the markings of the egg is well-marked. 

 It is now seen to be creamy-white in colour, with darker creamy and creamy-brown 

 markings irregularly distributed over the surface, and giving a distinctly opalescent 

 appearance to the egg. The surface is covered with minute polygonal cells, more 

 especially distinct on the paler parts of the egg. I he cells are much more distinct 

 at the end surrounding the micropylar area. These tells are surrounded by a fine 

 but distinct reticulation, with minute black knobs at the angular points of the 

 polygons forming the reticulation. The micropyle is situated in the base of a 

 small hollow at one end ol" the egg, and i-- composed of an open net -work of 

 brown-black cells somewhat quadrangular in shape, which become smaller centrally. 

 The micropyle proper is situated in the centre of the area, ami forms a minute star o( 

 radiating cells. [Eggs laid June 28th, received from Mr. G. JJ. Koutledge, description 



