1888. 



73 



Note on the pupa of Eupithecia consignata. — In the last number of the " Ento- 

 mologist," Mr. Crewe gives a description of the larva of tliis species. Through 

 the generous kindness of Mr. Hutchinson, I have also reared a few larvae. My 

 object in writing these few lines is to draw attention, not to the liirva, but to the 

 pupa. It is quite unlike that of any Eupithecia with which I am acquainted. It 

 is more like that of a Tortrix than of a Geometra, very long and slender, and 

 twisting the abdominal portion in a very active manner. I think there is little 

 doubt but that the pupa might be found in orchards, under moss, or behind loose 

 bark. The admirers of the genus Eupithecia are greatly indebted to the discoverer 

 of the larva of this veiy pretty species.— J. Greene, Cubley Rectory, Sudbury, 

 Derby, July, 1868. 



[Mr. Crewe's contribution reached us too late for insertion in the July number 

 of the Magazine ; and it is contrary to our rule to print any communication of this 

 nature that may have already appeared in another publication. Mr. Greene's note 

 renders it advisable that we should relax the rule in this instance. We ask our 

 contributors to bear in mind, that unless their papers be received by the 18th of 

 each month, they stand little chance of appearing in the following number. — Eds.] 



Observations on the habits of the larva of Zijgcena nvMgena. — Through Mr. 

 Birchall's kindness in sending me the eggs, I am enabled to give some account of 

 the early stages of this species, but the discrepancies that exist "between my 

 account and those of other observers show how desirable it is to make further 

 investigation. 



A small batch of eggs {small because I could not undertake many) received 

 July 4th, 1867 ; the larvse hatched on the 10th of the same month. Finding, from 

 the " Chapter on Minos," in Stainton's Annual for 1862, that it was likely either 

 Thymus serpyllum or Fimpinello. saxifraga would prove to be the proper food, I 

 procured both, but there was no doubt as to which these larvae preferred ; the 

 thyme was eaten at once, whilst I could not see that the Pimpinella was even 

 tasted. 



These larvee, about ten in number, grew very slowly, and (with one exception, 

 who had grown to twice the size of his fellows, but came to grief,) were no 

 bigger than a leaf of the wild thyme, and indeed of pretty much the same figure in 

 outline, when they settled down for hybernation about the beginning of September. 

 They assembled in two little groups of four or five each, and spinning some silk on 

 the under-side of the stoutest stems of their food-plant, rested quietly till near the 

 end of February. Mr. Birchall had warned me that in their native locality they 

 probably had little experience of frost, so I placed the flower-pot with large glass 

 cylinder, which enclosed the plant of thyme, in a garden-frame under a high wall 

 with south aspect ; there was no hotbed in the frame, but as it received all the 

 rays of the sun from about 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., a considerable amount of warmth was 

 kept up in it, compared to the temperature outside. In fact the thyme continued 

 to grow and thicken all through the winter, until my little larvae were quite hidden ; 

 and it would at any time have taken a sharp eye to distinguish them, whilst 

 hybernating, from a withered thyme-leaf, so much were they of the same colour, 

 and furnished with little hairs of the same length. 



