MAMESTRA FURVA. 81 



reticulated, of a dirty whitish at first, changing after- 

 wards to light drab, and again to dark grey, a day or 

 two before hatching. The newly hatched larva is dirty 

 whitish, with dark brown head, plates, and minute 

 dots ; the hairs in the dots visible only with a lens. 

 In six weeks' or two months' time it is about three- 

 sixteenths of an inch long, of a light pinkish-brown 

 colour, the head, plates, and warts of the same colour, 

 but more shining than the rest of the skin ; and by the 

 end of December examples vary in length according 

 to their growth from four- sixteenths to five-sixteenths 

 of an inch, and again at the end of March from three- 

 eighths to four-eighths. In April it advances still 

 slowly, and moulting, becomes rather paler, and grows 

 by the middle of May to five-eighths of an inch in 

 length, and after further moulting, towards the end of 

 the month, its colouring is still paler. It is now dirty 

 whitish, or pale drab or flesh-colour, the head, plates, 

 and spots continuing brownish-red or pinkish-brown 

 as before. Henceforward its growth is more rapid, 

 and after another moult it attains its full growth, from 

 the beginning to the middle of June. 



The healthy full-grown larva measures one inch and 

 a quarter in length, and is moderately stout in propor- 

 tion, nearly uniform in size, except that the first and 

 last segments are a little smaller; the head full and 

 rounded, the lobes on the crown well defined, and the 

 jaws large; the segments plump and distinct at the 

 divisions, the only very noticeable wrinkles being on 

 the third and fourth. The general colouring of the 

 body is a light and rather shining pallid flesh-colour, 

 almost a light drab on the thoracic segments, melting 

 gradually thence into a warmer fleshy tint, excepting 

 on the belly, which is pallid. Down the middle of the 

 back can just be seen, deep beneath the surface of the 

 skin, a faint appearance of a pinkish-brown dorsal 

 vessel, gently pulsating. The head is of a dark brick- 

 red colour, very glossy, and with a few fine hairs, the 

 upper lip flesh-colour, the mouth dark brown ; the broad 



vol. iv. 6 



