THYMELE ALVEOLUS. 123 



Thymele ALVEOLUS. 

 Plate XVI, fig. 2. 



At the end of May and beginning of June, 1874, I 

 captured a score or more of these butterflies and shut 

 them up in a glass cylinder with bramble sprays ; they 

 would not, however, spare me more than seven or 

 eight eggs, which were laid on June 2nd or 3rd. The 

 larvae began to hatch on June 12th, and by the 18th 

 four had come out ; the rest died in the egg, having 

 begun, but not being able to complete their liberation. 

 Three also of the four larvge, that had been safely 

 hatched, soon died ; but the survivor throve and 

 grew, by July 9th it was one- sixth of an inch long, by 

 the 17th nearly half an inch long. About the 1st of 

 August it moulted for the last time, and soon attained 

 its full length of about five-eighths of an inch, after- 

 wards increasing only in stoutness. After the end of 

 August it remained apparently dormant for days 

 together, eating only at intervals ; and about Sep- 

 tember 20th it became a pupa. 



Meanwhile, on July 29th, I had found another larva 

 in the locality where I took the imago, which very 

 nearly corresponded in growth with my bred example, 

 but it unfortunately died without changing. 



Throughout, observation of their appearance was 

 very difficult, owing to their habit of living in conceal- 

 ment, and in fact, I believe the mortality which pre- 

 vailed among my small stock was owing to disturbance 

 caused by attempts at peeping, measuring, &c. 



Probably, in freedom, the perfect insect has some 

 constant method of depositing her eggs ; but the few 

 I had, having been laid in confinement, seemed to be 

 placed indifferently on the upper or under sides of 

 leaves, or on stems ; however, I think the newly 

 hatched larva chooses the upper surface of a small leaf 

 for its habitat (unless, perhaps, as I have lately 

 thought on reflection, it may prefer the blossom), and 



