BITHYS QUERCUS. 243 



may readily be beaten from the lower branches of tall oak-trees. Buckler 

 objects to the term " onisciform," which is frequently applied to this 

 larva, retaining it particularly for that of Rumicia pklaeas, considering 

 that the flattened lateral ridge in B. quercus renders the similitude 

 inexact. Mathew observes (in litt.) that, in some years, the larvae of this 

 species are very abundant, in Essex, and that he has beaten them in 

 hundreds from the lower branches of oaks in Stour Wood, and that then 

 for several years following hardly a larva could be obtained. Atmore 

 records their exceptional abundance in June, 1901, at King's Lynn, and 

 Edelsten,in June, 1900, in Abbott's Wood ; whilst Gibbs also remarks on 

 their great abundance in some years in Bricket Wood, Herts. Newman 

 observes that, when the larva is fullgrown, it closely resembles the 

 familiar shell known as the Chiton, and rests appressed to the surface 

 of the leaf, just as the Chiton does to the surface of rock; the head small 

 and retractile, the incisions between the segments of the body very 

 distinctly marked, the posterior edge of one segment slightly over- 

 lapping the anterior margin of the next following segment, etc. Dollman 

 observes that the low branches of oak, with thin growth of foliage 

 on isolated trees, often prove the best for larvae of B. quercus, the 

 halfgrown examples of which exactly resemble the bud-sheaths in 

 colour. Lewin says (Ins. Gt. Britain, p. 90) that the larvae may 

 be taken in plenty by beating the boughs of oak-trees, towards the 

 latter end of May, when they are fullfed. In Chattenden Woods, 

 the larvae are fullfed, according to the particular season, from the 

 end of May until the middle of June, and are not confined to any 

 special age or position of tree, although, perhaps, the large ones 

 with spreading branches prove most productive. They vary, too, 

 greatly in abundance in different years, in some years being 

 comparatively scarce, in others in great numbers. Steinert says 

 that, in the Kingdom of Saxony, it occurs in May and early 

 June, and may be beaten from low bushes exposed to the sun, 

 as well as from young trees placed more in the shade. Kranz 

 observes that, at Munich, the larvae are, in some years, very abundant 

 on the lateral branches of Quercus pedunculata, at the end of May and 

 beginning of June. Stange says that, at Halle, the larvae prefer the 

 lowest branches of old oaks ; Glaser found the larvae very abundantly, 

 in 1853, on young oaks, 15ft. -20ft. high, in the " Hinterland " of Hesse ; 

 Kretschmer also notes their preference for the lower branches of old 

 oaks at Frankfort-on-Oder, whilst Pabst makes an exactly similar 

 remark for Chemnitz. Larvae are usually to be taken in the 

 Geneva district, from May 24th to July 14th, on Quercus pedunculata 

 and Q. sessiliflora (Rehfous). In Germany, Austria, and France, the 

 larvae appear to be fullfed, as with us, from the end of May to mid- 

 June, according to the earliness or lateness of the season, and also to 

 vary greatly in abundance in different years, whilst such records as we 

 have, suggest that, throughout France, and even in Spain, the larvae 

 are rarely fullfed before the end of May. Constant says that, in 

 Saone-et-Loire, larvae can be obtained throughout May and up to mid- 

 June, whilst Nicholson obtained larvae near Huejar, in Granada, on 

 June 4th, 1895. Bingham-Newland records (Ent. Eec, 1901, p. 108) 

 that he found, at Wishanger, a larva on a nesting-box for tits, nailed 

 against a shed, which had evidently been carried by the old birds 

 (Paras caeruleus) to their young, and had either escaped or been 



