128 . OATOOALA SPONSA. 



the body, and, if touched, falling and wriggling in an 

 excited manner. 



After the second moult they were of a very pale 

 brown mottled with olive-greenish and brown, ex- 

 hibiting decidedly the peculiarities of contour per- 

 taining to larvse of the genus Catocala. 



In their early stages they were very restless for 

 some time after being disturbed by changing their 

 oak twigs, walking about their glass prison as if bent 

 on escaping, but would at length settle down to their 

 food ; in repose they were generally stretched out 

 close to the surface of the twigs, and assimilated well 

 with them ; as their size increased, so, in proportion, 

 they became quieter, and at length even lethargic in 

 their demeanour, each individual having a separate 

 residence. On arriving at maturity they spun a loose 

 kind of hammock amongst the oak leaves, and therein 

 changed to pupas of a purplish-red colour, covered 

 with a delicate violet bloom. The moths appeared 

 towards the end of July. 



The full-grown larva, when stretched out, measures 

 two inches or two inches and a half in length ; its walk 

 is a half-looping motion, sometimes retaining that 

 posture in feeding, though generally it closely em- 

 braces the twig, its body being extended and its head 

 erected to the edge of a leaf. 



In form it is rounded above and flattened beneath, 

 and tapering towards each extremity. The head is 

 broad, rounded, slightly elevated, and indented on the 

 crown, and is a trifle larger than the second segment. 

 There is a transverse dorsal hump on the ninth 

 segment, and the twelfth also appears slightly humped, 

 but the thirteenth is much depressed. The thoracic 

 segments are deeply wrinkled, the others plump and 

 deeply indented at the divisions. 



Tubercles conical, and terminating in a very short 

 spiky bristle, six on each segment, viz. two lateral 

 and four dorsal, the hinder dorsal pairs being much 

 the largest. 



