404 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



Teratological examples. — Undoubtedly there are numerous 

 specimens in various collections. Two remarkable teratological ex- 

 amples in the "Webb coll." are interesting owing to the peculiar 

 modification of the markings of the crippled wing so that they become 

 more or less longitudinal. We noted these as : 



1. The right pair of wing's slightly contracted. The centre of the costa of the 

 right forewing slightly excised : the coloration pale ; the markings from the basal 

 line tending to form longitudinal streaks following the nervures towards the outer 

 margin. The right hindwing with a very straight outer margin running in line with 

 the outer margin of the forewing; a distinct angular extension towards the anal 

 angle, the inner black band very sharply angulated through the discoidal spot, the 

 outer area of the wing suffused, with the black markings linear, and radiating towards 

 margin. The left pair of wings normal. 



2. The right pair of wings normal. The left forewing with a large lunular 

 excision on the costa towards the apex. The markings from the discoidal and lower 

 part of the basal line forming longitudinal streaks, following the direction of the 

 nervures to the outer margin. The left hindwing with the costa cut short, at about 

 one-fourth from the apex; the apex thus suppressed ; the shortened wing, however, 

 with perfect fringes ; the normal black bands modified into radiating lines running 

 in the direction of the nervures. 



3. A moth minus the right antenna, and with an ill-developed eye on the 

 same side. In the pupa from which it was bred the right antenna was deformed 

 (Woodforde, Ent., xxviii., p. 310). 



4. A specimen with one half of the proboscis much longer than normal, the 

 other half much shorter (see Chapman, antea, p. 395, for detailed description). 



Ovum. — Small in proportion to the size of the moth ; light 

 greenish or greyish-blue in colour ; after the larva has hatched the 

 empty eggshell is bluish-white (Gauckler). Proportionately small, 

 similar to the egg of A?no?pha popnli, dull greenish or blue-grey in 

 colour ; empty eggshell transparent bluish-white (Bartel). 



Egglaying. — The eggs are usually deposited singly, more rarely, 

 however, in small batches (Gauckler). The distribution of the larvse 

 (scarcely more than a few in a large field) suggests that the eggs are 

 laid at widely distant intervals, one here, one there, but not many as a 

 rule near the same spot (Morres). Newman says (E?it., ii,, p. 280) 

 that the eggs are very large* and mostly laid on the upper surface ol 



the leaves of potato, &c the egg-stage lasting about twelve days. 



Reid records (Ent. JR.ec, i.,p. 337) a $ that was captured when fluttering 

 over a potato-plant in July. Gauckler says (Ein Beitrag zur Eiablage 

 der Schmetterlinge, p. 5) that a $ he found laid 27 eggs from which 

 he reared 16 perfect imagines. 



Parthenogenesis. — Parthenogenesis is reported to have occurred 

 in this species (Massa, Bull. Soc. Ent. Hal., xx., p. 64). 



Habits of larva. — The larva of this species grows very rapidly, 

 the first four ecdyses following one another very quickly, usually 

 within four or five days. The fifth (and last) stage is completed in 

 about 8 to 14 days, so that the entire larval period may occupy no 

 more than 30 days (Gauckler/;/////.). Newman states that, at first, the 

 young larvae eat little and grow very slowly, but afterwards devour the 

 leaves most voraciously, and increase in size with almost incredible 

 rapidity (Ent., ii., p. 281). The habits of the larva in its earlier stadia 

 are practically unknown, but those of the larva in its last stadium 

 have been described by many authors. Meinecke says (Aatnrforscher, 

 xiii., p. 176) that the larva feeds only at night and hides itself by day, 

 but Schroter (op. at., xx., pp. 173 et seq.) denies this, and states that 



* Newman gives no authority for this. His statement must be compared 

 with that of Gauckler [supni). 



