96 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



uary 17th, 1897). Fenn describes the adult larva as follows: Head 

 rounded ; lobes of the head dull purple dusted with grey ; face 

 ochreous marked with brown. Body hairy, except at the segmental 

 incisions, cylindrical, rather elongate ; intersegmental incisions velvety- 

 black, the remainder of the dorsum covered with soft, fulvous hair 

 of moderate and unequal length ; an interrupted white lateral stripe, 

 below which the sides are dark purplish-brown marbled with orange, 

 with tawny hairs ; spiracles white ; an oval white (red- or brown- 

 centred) spot immediately above the lateral stripe on ' the meso- 

 and metathorax ; front edge of prothorax dull orange, and when 

 half-fed, with a short, whitish, diagonal dash meeting the lateral 

 stripe ; venter black, marked with ochreous and tawny at the side, 

 and with a series of shiny black spots on the posterior segments ; 

 prolegs tawny, with black dashes ; legs shining brown spotted with 

 black; anal segment tinged with ferruginous (May 15th, 1875). 

 Buckler figures (Larvae, &c, pi. xlvii., fig. 2d) a dark brown 

 aberration of the larva, with long brown hairs, a purplish (bluish) 

 supraspiracular line, bluish spiracles, and a small lateral oval mark 

 (Bacot's " ocellar " marking) on the meso- and metathorax. This 

 larva was found feeding on sloe. Buckler also figures {loc. cit., 

 fig. 2), excellently, the typical form of the larva just previous to the 

 last moult. Linne describes the larva as : " Larva laevis, pilosa, 

 grisea, nigro annulata, alboque maculata " (Sys. Nat., 12th ed., p. 

 815). Ramdohr, in 181 1, described and figured ( Verdaunngswerkzeuge 

 der Insecten, pp. 163 — 166, pi. xviii., figs. 5 — 6) the intestinal canal 

 of the larva of L. quercus, and this species was one of those that 

 were dealt with, in 1815, by Gaede in his Beytriige ztir Anatomie der 

 Insekten. 



General comparison of the different forms of the larva 

 of L. quercus. — The differences between the various forms of the 

 larva of this species that have been examined — English qttei'cus, 

 callunae, meridionalis, viburni, and sicula — consist chiefly in the 

 colour and markings of the head and the colour of the hairs (see 

 anted, p. 37). The latter may, for convenience, be considered 

 under two heads : 1. The long hairs, more or less evenly distributed 

 all over the body. 2. The fine, short, closely - massed hairs of the 

 dorsal and subdorsal areas, which form a thick fur. This fur, as 

 we have already shown (anted, p 36), is most probably of protective 

 value, as the hairs forming it are readily detached, and produce 

 irritating urticating results if they enter the skin. The following 

 are the chief colour peculiarities presented ^compare, anted, p. 37) : 



1. Callunae. — Both the long hairs and short fur are dark brown (approaching 

 the hairs of Macrothylacia rubi'm colour). [This appears to be the most specialised 

 form in an opposite direction to the line of development exhibited by the larva of 

 L. var. meridionalis, .] 



2. Quercus (English). — The long hairs brown; the short fur dirty white or pale 

 dusky brown. 



3. Viburni. — The long hairs white ; the short fur bright reddish-brown. 



4. Sicula. — Both the long hairs and short fur as in the larva of viburni, but 

 possibly a little paler. 



5". Meridionals. — Both the long hairs and short fur pure white (sometimes 

 slightly dusky directly after a moult). I This appears to be the most specialised form 

 in an opposite direction to the line of development exhibited by the larva of L. var 

 ca llunaei] 



No doubt a perfect series of transitional forms, between the 



