104 PLUSIA BRACTEA. 



showing very faintly, two down the middle of the back 

 representing the dorsal line ; these diverge about the 

 middle of each segment, and contract again to a 

 parallel course at the end of it ; on each side of these 

 run two more, the outer one the most distinct, and on 

 these are the faint whitish tubercular dots, each fur- 

 nished with a fine black hair ; next come a few whitish 

 minute dots along each segment, the ground-colour 

 here growing a little deeper in tint ; then comes the 

 spiracular yellowish-whitish line ; on this the flesh- 

 coloured spiracles are situated, and most delicately 

 ovalled with black ; beneath a few faint whitish dots 

 are sprinkled ; the head is of a watery whitish-green, 

 having a black streak down the side of each lobe. 

 The few hairs scattered along the sides are whitish. 



At this time it did not eat, and was evidently about 

 to moult, but this operation did not occur until the 

 29th, when it assumed its new dress of bright green, 

 and the two pale dorsal lines filled up with green rather 

 darker than the ground ; the other pale lines, tuber- 

 cular warts, and small dots just the same as before, 

 only showing now more distinctly. The head green, 

 with a conspicuous broadish black streak on each side. 



On the afternoon of the 30th it began to make its 

 first meal, after fasting at least eight days. 



On the 6th of May it was now an inch and a quarter 

 in length, with the spiracles and mouth deep flesh- 

 colour, the former in delicate black oval rings. Hairs 

 blackish towards and on the head, the rest pale flesh- 

 colour ; the tubercles sprinkled on the sides and under 

 the belly ; markings as before ; the inner sides of the 

 anterior legs twice barred with black at the base ; the 

 belly the deepest green. It has preferred Lamium 

 album. 



This larva continued to feed on Lamium album up 

 to the 15th of May, but as from thence to the 17th it 

 had ceased to feed I put it in a jam-pot with food at 

 the bottom, and tied over the top with leno. On the 

 18th it spun a purse-like web partly on the side of the 



