PI'EROPIIOPvUS RHODODACTYLUS. 337 



Ptekophorus rhododactylus. 

 Plate CLXIII, fig. 2. 



On the 26th of May last, 1875, I and the Rev. T. 

 W. Daltry, of Madeley, Staffordshire, took the larvae 

 of Pterophorus rhododactylus rather freely ; and as I 

 am not aware of any previous description in this 

 country, I have much pleasure in sending one. 



Larva about half an inch in length, and of tolerable 

 bulk in proportion ; the body cylindrical and strongly 

 attenuated towards the extremities ; it is considerably 

 retractile, and when at rest has a dumpy appearance ; 

 the head is small, globular, smooth and shining, about 

 the same width, or perhaps very slightly narrower 

 than the second segment ; the segmental divisions are 

 distinctly marked ; the skin is soft, but has a slightly 

 rough appearance, and is sparingly, though conspicu- 

 ously, clothed with short hairs. 



The ground colour is a rather bright greenish- 

 yellow, in some specimens yellowish-green; the head 

 is greyish, with the cheeks and mandibles shining 

 black. A very conspicuous purple stripe forms the 

 medio-dorsal line ; from the second to the sixth 

 segment this stripe appears as composed of round 

 purplish marks joined at the segmental divisions, 

 consequently the stripe is rather broad; on the 

 remaining segments it is much narrower and more 

 uniform, but equally distinct; the subdorsal and 

 spiracular lines are yellow, but only faintly indicated ; 

 the segmental divisions are also yellow. The ventral 

 surface and prolegs are uniformly dingy green or 

 yellowish, according to the ground of the dorsal 

 surface ; the legs are black and shining. 



The larvae were found feeding on wild rose, beneath 

 the leaf overlapping the rosebud, eating into the 

 unexpanded bud from the side; others, however, were 

 found feeding in similar positions at the tips of the 



vol. tx. • 22 



