40 EUP1THECIA EXTENSARIA. 



plant, and the two pairs of tumid claspers at the 

 hinder extremity resemble in an extraordinary degree 

 the thickened rounded segments of the leaves. This 

 last-named resemblance seems at first sight unneces- 

 sary, but its value is demonstrated by the discovery 

 that this larva has a habit — which I have never ob- 

 served in any other species — of standing apparently 

 ujpon its head, that is to say, laying hold with its 

 thoracic feet and extending its body stiffly, so that its 

 hinder extremity is in the air. This, however, is only 

 an occasional practice, and during the daytime it 

 generally remains close to the stem, twisting itself 

 among the leaves and blossoms, but at night feeding 

 voraciously on both. 



When full-fed it descends to the ground, where it 

 makes a tough cocoon, and changes to a pretty 

 stumpy pupa of a chestnut-brown, with bright green 

 wing-cases. 



The moths emerged in June and July, almost every 

 larva producing an imago. Not a single parasite 

 occurred among them. 



This species seems to be gregarious or excessively 

 local in its habits, frequenting sheltered clumps of the 

 food-plant, but not extending its range very far, 

 although the Artemisia is plentiful on the coast. 

 This excessive localism may be habitual with the 

 species, or it may be an indication that it is quite a 

 recent immigrant to our coasts ; and this last view I 

 am inclined to favour, partly from the present 

 immunity of the species from parasites, but still more 

 from the circumstance that so acute and energetic a 

 worker as Mr. Atmore had not previously observed 

 it. He and I think it impossible that he should have 

 so long overlooked it. I may add that from this gre- 

 gariousness the species might probably be easily 

 exterminated. (Charles G. Barrett, 9th March, 1889 ; 

 E.M.M., April, 1889, XXV, 258.) 



Since I found the larvae of Eupithecia extensaria 

 near Hunstanton at the end of August > 1889, I have 



