LASIOCAMPA QUERCUS. 97 



larvae of callunae on the one hand and meridionalis on the other, 

 could be obtained, yet the larvae of the races inhabiting the extremes 

 of latitude are distinct. In their early stages, the larvae of the two 

 south of France races, viburni and meridionalis, are alike, but very 

 different from the larvae of the two English races, quercus and callunae, 

 in the same stadia ; the latter races, also, being very similar to 

 each other in their early stages. The larva of sicula follows the 

 south of France races, rather than the English forms, but it differs 

 from them in tint and in several details of pattern. 



Comparison of larvae of L. quercus (English) and L. var. 

 callunae. — Comparison of Buckler's figures of a full-grown larva of 

 English L. quercus {Larvae, &c, pp. 57 — 58, pi. xlvii., fig. 2 b), and of L. 

 var. callunae (loc. cit., fig. 3 d) would suggest considerable difference 

 in the plumage of the fullgrown larvae; the former having distinct 

 white spiracles, a white supraspiracular line (broken by the inter- 

 segmental incisions), and red subspiracular line ; the latter with 

 yellowish spiracles, yellowish supraspiracular line (much less well- 

 developed) and no red subspiracular line. This larva of callunae is, 

 however, scarcely typical of the fullgrown form. Buckler's comparison 

 reads as follows : 



1. Quercus : The general colour of the hairs above the subdorsal stripe of 

 a rather light brown, but below and on the ventral surface darker brown ; along 

 the subdorsal region a large triangular mark or streak of white with black centre ; 

 besides the much -interrupted white subdorsal streak on the mesothoracic and 

 metathoracic segments, there is, just above it on the black rings, a whitish oval 

 or shuttle-shaped mark, with a black spot within it near its anterior margin ; the 

 white subdorsal stripe appears to be continuous on all the black velvety parts of the 

 body that were not hidden with hairs, for these interrupted it from view about 

 the middle of each segment ; from the subdorsal stripe oblique white streaks 

 flow backwards near the beginning of each segment, those beyond the thoracic 

 spotted or mottled with dull red below ; above the legs are two whitish and red 

 dull stripes, with indications of a?i interrupted middle line between them ; the oval 

 spiracles white. 



2. Callunae : The general colour of the hairs above the subdorsal region 

 bright golden-brown, darker or lighter in individuals, but very bright and glossy ; 

 below, on the sides, the hairs deep blackish-brown, the ventral surface still darker 

 brown and nearly black ; the triangular subdorsal mark on the prothorax just 

 edged above with white, but chiefly bright red, and the same with the ear-like 

 subdorsal marks, of which one is about the middle of the mesothorax and one 

 on the metathorax ; there is no subdorsal stripe, but only a row of subdorsal 

 spots one behind each segmental division ; these spots have much the character 

 of a triangular oblique streak of red, having, in some individuals, the anterior 

 apex white, but in others wholly bright red ; there is only one stripe above the 

 legs ; this is red and only obscurely visible ; the oval spiracles white, with a fine 

 hair-like black line down the centre, marking the aperture. 



Note on larva of L. hybr. bacoti. — We have already referred 

 (anted, p. 34, footnote, and p. 38) to the fact that the larvae resulting 

 from the pairing of meridionalis $ with viburni $ , ultimately divided 

 into two moieties that followed closely the respective parents, at 

 least so far as the colour of the urticating fur was concerned. Of 

 one special batch, however, that Bacot had under observation during 

 the autumn and winter of 1896 — 1897, he noted that, in the 3rd 

 instar, many of the larvae exhibited a tendency to be more like 

 the British forms ; the white wedge-shaped dorsal spots being well 

 marked in some larvae, and the head, in two cases, resembled that 

 of the British races in being without the white mark on the face. 

 In the 4th instar, the larvae showed extremes of variation, extending 

 from the pure white dorsal fur of the typical larva of meridionalis to the 



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