24 EUPITHECIA PLUMBEOLATA. 



pratense, and the eggs were mostly deposited upon 

 sprigs of this plant. 



. They hatched in about a week, and from the batch 

 sent me by Mr. Baker I was fortunate enough to rear 

 seven larvsB to full growth. The Rev. John Hellins, 

 of Exeter, kindly supplied me with fresh flowers of 

 Melampyrum pratense (which does not grow here at 

 Drayton-Beauchamp, near Tring), every three days. 

 Mr. Wm. Buckler, of Emsworth, has, with his usual 

 skill, taken some very accurate and life-like coloured 

 drawings; and both he, Mr. Hellins, and Mr. Baker 

 have been fortunate enough to take the larvse them- 

 selves on the flowers of the Melampyrum in their 

 respective neighbourhoods. I cannot sufficiently 

 thank these gentlemen, and Messrs. Barrett and 

 Hodgkinson, for the kindness they have shown and 

 the trouble they have taken in helping me to work out 

 the economy of this interesting little insect. 

 I subjoin a description of the larva and pupa. 

 Larva somewhat short and stumpy, in shape re- 

 sembling the larva of Eupithecia isogrammata Tr. 

 Ground colour pale dull yellowish-green. Central 

 dorsal line broad, uninterrupted, dull purplish-red, 

 enlarged at the centre of each segment into a some- 

 what pear-shaped blotch. Subdorsal lines narrow, 

 sinuous, dull purplish-red. Spiracular line yellowish, 

 very faint. Spiracles blackish. Head yellowish, 

 suffused with purplish-red. Central dorsal and sub- 

 dorsal lines sometimes merged, leaving the back and 

 sides suffused with purplish-red. Dorsal and lateral 

 segments thinly sprinkled with slender yellowish 

 hairs. Belly naked, pale, dull greenishr-yellow. Cen- 

 tral ventral line wanting. Subventral lines narrow, 

 purplish-red. 



Feeds on the flowers of Melampyrum pratense L. ; 

 when quite small on the stamens alone, but afterwards 

 on the whole corolla-tube. 



Full-fed from the middle of July to the middle of 

 August. Reared from eggs sent me by Mr. George 



