.224 HOMCEOSOMA SKXECIONLS. 



HOMCEOSOMA SENBCIONIS. 



Plate CLVII, fig. 5. 



I received on the 19th of June, 1870, from Mr. 

 Howard Vaughan, three larvse mining in stems of 

 ragwort (Senecio jacobsea), and pushing out little 

 heaps of frass, which are agglomerated together by 

 webs. 



Mr. Vaughan informs me that these larvae were 

 •captured by himself in Essex, in June. 



When full-grown the larva is half an inch long, 

 plump, tapering towards the head, which is a little 

 smaller than the second segment. The segments are 

 well defined, and each (excepting the thoracic) sub- 

 divided by only one deep wrinkle. The spiracular 

 region is a little puffed. 



In colour it is of a deep purplish-brown, the 

 ventral surface slightly tinged with olive; the head 

 and the plate on the second segment deep blackish- 

 brown and brilliantly polished, the rest of the body 

 rather shining, with a faint violet gloss. The others, 

 not quite so mature, were of an olive-greyish tint, 

 with shining black heads and plates, a pinkish gloss 

 being on the back and sides. (William Buckler, July, 

 1870; Note Book I, 42, and E.M.M., November, 1870, 

 VII, 131.) 



On the 29th of August last, 1885, I received a 

 supply of larvae of Homoeosoma senecionis from Mr. F. 

 D. Wheeler, who had found the species freely two 

 days previously at Cromer. 



The larvas were about three-eighths of an inch in 

 length, and obese in proportion. The head is small, 

 and narrower than the second segment, and both it 

 and the frontal plate are highly polished. When the 

 larva is crawling the body appears to be cylindrical 

 and fairly uniform in width, tapering only slightly at 

 the extremities ; but when at rest it seems to taper 



