12 



the saw-like apparatus with which the female is provided, where it swells somewhat and pro- 

 duces a slight discolouration of the cuticle on the upper surface. The skin covering the sur 

 face of the swelling is so thin and semi-transparent that the movements of the larva may be 

 observed a day or two before hatching, by the black spots on the side of the head showing 

 through. The larva escapes through an irregular hole made on one side of the swelling. 



The young larva as it appears when fresh from the egg. Length, when in motion, about 

 one-twelfth of an inch ; head large, semi-transparent, greenish-white with a large black eye- 

 like spot on each side, and with a number of short whitish hairs ; mandibles pale brown. 



The body above is nearly white, semi-transparent, and thickly covered with transverse 

 rows of white spines, nearly all of which are forked towards the tip ; some of the spines on the 

 anterior segments are more compound, having four or five branches ; the tips of all the 

 branches of the spines are blunt, nearly rounded. The under surface is similar to the upper 

 in colour and semi-transparency ; feet and prolegs partake of the general colour. 



After the first moult the head is medium sized as compared with the body, of a pale 

 yellowish green, covered with short fleshy-looking hairs of the same colour. The body above 

 is of a uniform pale greenish-yellow colour, excepting along the dorsal region, where, owing 

 to the transparency of the skin, the internal organs show through of a deeper shade of green. 

 The surface of the body is thickly set with short greenish-yellow tubercles, most of which 

 Are forked at the tips, the two branches spreading in opposite directions, the greater portion 

 of them extending anteriorly and posteriorly. Out of three specimens of ibis age examined, 

 one varied from the others in having a pale brownish yellow head. The under surface, feet 

 and prolegs all pale greenish-yellow. 



With the subsequent moultings slight changes take place in the colour of the head, first 

 pale brownish or greenish-brown, then bluish-green, and sometimes the branches of the spines 

 assume a brownish tint, especially on the anterior segments. 



\Vhen full grown this larva measures a little over half an inch ; it is nearly cylindrical, 

 tapering slightly towards the hinder segments. 



The head is rather small, nearly globular, pale green with a faint yellowish tinge, and .1 

 dark brown dot on each side, and a few very fine short hairs visible only with a stronp: 

 magnifier. The mandibles are tipped with brown. 



The body above is dark green, thickly set with green tubercles, from which proceed 

 fleshy-looking, forked, pale green, hair-like branches, most of them with their branches ex- 

 tending anteriorly and posteriorly. On the anterior part of the second segment there is -d 

 row of four spines with five branches each, most of the others are forked, but some few of 

 them have three branches each. There are eight spines or tubercles on most of the segments, 

 arranged more or less perfectly in a double transverse row. In some specimens the hair-like 

 branches or appendages are black at the tips, and occasionally entirely black from the point 

 of divergence. 



The under surface is similar to the upper ; feet and prolegs green. 



When mature — from the middle to the latter end of June — these larvae penetrate belou- 

 the surface of the ground, where they construct little oval earthy cocoons, formed by glueing 

 together particles of earth with silky and glutinous matter. These cocoons are toughly made, 

 and may be taken out of the earth in which they are embedded, and even handled roughly 

 without much danger of dislodging the larvae. The specimens which we have bred, when 

 examined a week or two after the cocoons were constructed, were still in the larval condition, 

 although somewhat contracted in length. They all dried up and died before changing to 

 pupae, so we are as yet unable to indicate when this change takes place, the appearance of 

 the chrysalis or its duration. As we have not met with more than one brood in the season, 

 it is probable that the larvae remain in the ground for some weeks unchanged, graduall;; 

 transform to pupae, and remain under ground in this condition until early the following- 

 spring. 



While in the larval state these insects may be readily destroyed by the use of hellebore, 

 as recommended for the gooseberry worm. 



7. The Raspberry Acronycta {Acronyda venillii, Grote & Rob.) 



The caterpillar of this species, although never very numerous, has been found by the 

 writer more or less injurious to the raspberry for some years past. It is a grey hairy cater- 



