Insects. 



8607 



the crown, hairy, obviously of less diameter than all the other segments, except the 

 2nd and 13tb. Body obese, slightly decreasing in size at the extremities, incisions 

 distinctly marked ; on each segment are eight warts in a transverse series, each pro- 

 longed into a pointed conical process with rugose surface, and each seated in the midst 

 of a fascicle of short stiff radiating bristles. Head red, shining, its hairs black : body 

 intense velvety black, with belts of pure white dots in the incisions between the seg- 

 ments, its hairs intensely black ; legs pitchy black ; claspers dull red. Feeds on 

 Plantago lanceolata (ribwort or narrow-leaved plantain), and is full-fed at the end of 

 April, when it attaches itself by the tail to the stem of the plantain, almost close to the 

 ground, and there changes to a short stout pupa, which is of a very dark colour and 

 almost smooth. I have found dozens of the pupse in company. The insect remains 

 but a short time in the pupa state, rarely more than a fortnight, sometimes less ; they 

 continue to emerge during the whole of May and June, and continue on the wing, 

 although in a very dilapidated condition, until the end of that month. The early 

 history of this insect has already been given in the ' Zoologist' (Zool. 1271), by the 

 able pen of the Rev. J. F. Dawson. The eggs are laid in batches on the plantain, and 

 are hatched in August ; the larvae unite in spinning a web very compact and tent-like, 

 forming a weatherproof domicile in which they hybernate. I had the good fortune to 

 discover the now-celebrated habitat for this insect in the Isle of Wight, in 1824, 

 finding larvae, pupae and perfect insects, hut am induced to republish these particulars, 

 Mr. Wright having kindly placed a full-grown larva in my hands. — Edward 

 Neivman. 



Description of the Larva of Macroglossa stellatarum. — Rests in a straight posture, 

 with the feet and claspers holding its food-plant ; never rolls in a ring when disturbed. 

 Head of much less diameter than the body : body cylindrical, decidedly tapering 

 towards the head, and having an acute straight horn on the 12th segment. Colour of 

 the head glaucous-green, powdered with white points so minute as only to be visible 

 under a lens of a high power : body glaucous-green, irrorated with circular white dots, 

 which are arranged, although somewhat irregularly, in transverse series; on each side 

 is a pure white stripe, commencing almost close to the head, and terminating in the 

 caudal horn ; the green colour above this is rather more intense, making the white 

 stripe more conspicuous ; caudal horn blue at the base, black in the middle and orange 

 at the tip ; it is covered with scabrous points, each of which emits a bristle at the 

 extremity ; spiracles black, with an orange point at each extremity ; below the spiracles 

 on each side is a slightly waved pale yellow stripe, commencing immediately behind 

 the head, and terminating on the 12th segment ; margin of the anal aperture yellow ; 

 legs pinkish orange; ventral claspers with a black patch at the base, a white stripe in 

 the middle, and rose-coloured at the extremity ; the white portion emits minute bristles ; 

 anal claspers pink only. Subject to vary to a red-brown colour. Feeds on Galium 

 verum (ladies' bedstraw), and in confinement on Asperula odorata (sweet woodruff). I 

 am indebted to the late lamented Mr. Hubert Oswald Fry and also to Mr. H. J. 

 Harding for examples of these larva?, which were full-fed on the 10th of August, 1861. 

 By day they are generally to be fouud close to the ground, secreting themselves beneath 

 the plants on which, by night, they feed. — Id. 



Description of the Larva of Ino Statices. — Hybernates when very small at the 

 roots of grasses, &c. ; feeds again in April and May. When disturbed it falls to the 

 ground, assuming a crescentic form, the two extremities approaching, but not 

 touching. Head very small, withdrawn entirely into the 2nd segment except when 



