10 EMMELESIA UNIFASOIATA. 



out the early stages of this species, which had long 

 eluded our investigations. 



I have taken the imago at gas lamps here in Exeter, 

 and have several times had eggs sent to me ; and 

 amongst other plants I have supplied the young larvse 

 with what now proves its proper food, namely, Bartsia 

 odontites ; but, owing to the rapidity witb which this 

 plant, when plucked and put in water, decays and 

 becomes mildewed, I had always failed to rear them. 

 In 1862 Mr. Buckler received from Dr. Holland, and 

 figured, a larva now proved to belong to this species ; 

 but, as it soon died, the figure remained unnamed, and 

 nothing could be said about it. 



In the second week of last September Mr. Bryant 

 sent Mr. Buckler eggs deposited by captured speci- 

 mens of E. unifasciata, and on being instructed by 

 him what to look for, found that Bartsia odontites 

 was growing plentifully in the locality in which the 

 moths were taken ; when, therefore, the eggs came on 

 to me, I determined not to confuse the larvae with a 

 number of food-plants to pick and choose from, but 

 put them at once on a potted plant of Bartsia. This 

 was about the 14th of September, and unfortunately 

 I was not able to devote much attention to them till 

 the beginning of the present month, when (4th of 

 October), to my dismay, I found the plant dead and 

 withering. However, a careful search enabled me to 

 detect a solitary survivor crawling about on the damp 

 rotten seed-pods, so I felt sure now there was no 

 longer a doubt about the food-plant ; and finding that 

 the field which had supplied me with it here had 

 just been ploughed up, I got a supply at once from 

 Mr. Buckler. The seed-pods on the sprigs he sent me 

 were beginning to ripen, so partially opening one of 

 them I placed my little larva on it, and soon saw it 

 hide itself within. I now left it undisturbed for a 

 week, taking it for granted that it was going from 

 pod to pod, and feeding up well ; at last I thought I 

 would look for it, and after opening several pods as 



