3440 Entomological Society. 



had, the perfect insect would probably not be such a rarity. The moth flies in woods 

 late in the evening, on which account it is seldom taken ; and the larvae are so decep- 

 tive to the eye, that they have hitherto eluded all search for them. The merit of solv- 

 ing the riddle belongs to Herr Verwalter Muhlig, who succeeded in finding an im- 

 pregnated female, which laid eggs, by which circumstance we were put upon the search, 

 and now we find the species not uncommonly in our town woods. I give the follow- 

 ing account with this remark, that although it is made exactly after nature, everything 

 is not to be found therein which may be observed with a lens in these most remarkable 

 larvae. Besides, the matter is sufficiently interesting to render it desirable to be ac- 

 quainted with the details of the natural history of these larvae, otherwise than in frag- 

 ments, as at present, and to learn some particulars about their early states. 



" As soon as the larva leaves the egg, it loads its body with finely bitten pieces of 

 stems of plants, scales of flowers, bard, dry, seed-capsules, and other small vegetable 

 fragments, which it binds together strongly, although loosely, and in layers, and forms 

 into a mass full of points and projections (requiring much trouble to pull to pieces with 

 pincers), the whole of which it carries about with it, like the allied larva of Phorodesma 

 Bajularia. This covering is, however, very different from the cases of the Psychidae. 

 The larvae enlarge these coverings according to their requirements, and as they hyber- 

 nate in them when very small, it is not easy to rear them from that state. The warmth 

 of spring entices them out to the plant on which they feed — the milfoil {Achillea Mil- 

 lefolium) ; when reared in confinement, however, they will feed upon Poterium San- 

 guisorba. The head of the larva is small, and the fore part of the body is also slender ; 

 the hinder part is crossed all over with deep wrinkles and corresponding elevations. 

 Beyond the first segment, the body is flattened on each side; on the back stand four 

 elevations or humps, each terminated by a sickle-shaped hair ; a smaller hump stands 

 on each side of the large black spiracle : these six humps, each on a distinct segment, 

 are separated by long furrows, the remaining space is covered with innumerable little 

 warts, which make the larva feel rough to the touch ; viewed with a lens, these look 

 like the deep-cleft bark of oak trees. All the remaining segments are covered with 

 these elevations, points, humps and furrows, to which, as may very easily be observed, the 

 little bits of plants are fastened in layers of small bundles. The larva is earth-brown, 

 a long darker line is on the middle of the back, and three, more or less clear, long 

 streaks on each side. It attains eventually the length of a Paris inch, but sits always 

 in a contracted position, and this, added to the unyielding nature of its case, gives it 

 a most deceptive resemblance to a hard seed-capsule or a little mass of flowers. 



" When about to go into the pupa state, it seeks a hard flower-stalk, on the top of 

 which, or sometimes only high up thereon, it makes fast fragments of flowers in the 

 form of an open-work case, in which, in about a day, it changes to a pupa, and within 

 three (seldom four) weeks, it appears in the perfect state. * 



" Light places in woods, plains, and dry ditches in woods, where the plants grow 

 on which they feed, are the favourite localities of these caterpillars. When once one 

 is discovered, several more may certainly be found in that neighbourhood. The best 

 season to seek them is from the beginning to the middle of June, when they have be- 

 come full fed, and are approaching their transformation. For this purpose it is not 

 necessary to use much apparatus, for if care be not taken, they are very easily deprived 

 of their artistic coverings." — /. W. D. 



