Observations on some species of Orina. 11 



as it is at this date, about as high as the leaves, it terminates 

 in a large knob, consisting of the large petioles inclosing 

 the young leaves and inflorescence, and it was in the 

 somewhat globular cavity so constituted and along with 

 the } T oung flowers, that the little larvae were hidden away 

 sometimes in very large numbers. The habits of the full- 

 grown larvae are not known to us, as we had left the 

 habitat at the proper date for observing them. We were 

 rather struck by this hiding-habit of the larvae of 0. vitti- 

 gera, as we were familiar with the larvae of 0. cacalise, 

 which live fully exposed at all ages. 



The larvae hatched about July 7th were full grown and 

 entered some earth provided for them on August 7th ; 

 some were ready to go down a few days earlier, but were 

 not afforded the opportunity. They moulted three times 

 whilst feeding up. 



In the earth they make a cavity rather large for their 

 size, smoothly rounded within, without any silk or other 

 obvious addition. 



There is a certain close family likeness amongst all 

 these Orina larvae. All of them have the abdominal seg- 

 ments so swollen that one would perhaps describe their 

 form best, at least when they are at rest, by terming 

 them spherical, with some modifications. These would 

 be chiefly that the 2nd and 3rd thoracic segments, which 

 are like the abdominal segments dorsally, form a some- 

 what narrowed neck to which the first thoracic and 

 head form a short, thick termination, also the venter 

 is flattened, and the anal segments are slightly produced. 

 When the larva is active, and especially in the earlier 

 periods of each stage, it is capable of more cylindrical 

 extension, and of producing the apical segments to a point 

 terminated by a sucker, or pseud opod, and the head and 

 thorax instead of being appendages to a sphere are half 

 the length of the insect. 



The larva of 0. gloriosa is very like that of 0. vittigera 

 in nearly all respects except colour : instead of being black 

 it is orange-yellow, or terra-cotta coloured. The skin is, 

 however, thick and strong, and does not allow the tracheae 

 to be seen dorsally as is the case with the transparent 

 skin just after a moult. The length is 16 or 17 mm., width 

 5 to 6 mm. The prothoracic plate is large and covers the 

 second and third thoracic segments when the larva 



