Insects. 



8701 



on the stems of Arundo Phragmites (the common reed), and are soon hatched, enter 

 the stem and begin feeding- ; about the end of the following- May they may he found 

 in the stem, in the first or second internode from the top. When full-grown the larva 

 has a very maggot-like appearance; if removed from the interior of the reed it does 

 not feign death or roll itself in a ring, but is restless, and crawls incessantly, but not 

 with great activity. Head very small, extremely glabrous, porrected in crawling: 

 body obese, slightly attenuated towards both extremities ; on the dorsal surface of the 

 2nd segment is a semicircular corneous plate, the convex margin of which is behind ; 

 the dorsal surface of the 13th segment is entirely covered by a similar plate ; the 

 incisions of the segments are clearly marked. Head intensely black : body dingy 

 white, with a large amorphous ill-defined purplish patch on each side of each segment, 

 except the 2nd and 13th ; the corneous plate on the 2nd segment is glabrous and 

 brown ; below it on each side are three black dots : on .the 3rd and 4th segments is a 

 transverse dorsal series of ten black dots; on each of the following segments are four 

 such dorsal dots; the anterior pair on all the segments, excepting the 11th, rather 

 nearer together than the posterior pair ; on the 12th segment they form an exact 

 quadrangle ; on the sides are two series of similar dots ; every one of these dots emits 

 a black bristle ; ventral surface of the 5th and 6th segments purplish, of the others 

 dingy white; legs rather long, glabrous, corneous, dark brown ; claspers dingy semi- 

 transparent white, slightly restricted at the base, a peculiarity which gives them an 

 elongate-linear and peculiar appearance About the middle or towards the end of 

 June the larva gnaws a perfectly circular hole in the stem of the reed, and, descending 

 to the ground, changes to a pupa amongst damp moss ; the perfect insect emerges in 

 July. I am indebted to Mr. Brown, of Cambridge, for this larva: he informs me it 

 is plentiful in Wicken Fen. — Edward Newman. 



Description of the Larva of Noctua Augur. — The egg is laid in June, is 

 hatched in June or July, aud hybernates early ; in the spring it again begins to feed 

 on Crataegus oxyacantha (whitethorn), Salix caprea (sallow), and other shrubs. When 

 full-fed, which is usually at the end of May, it rests in a straight position, but falls 

 off its food-plant and rolls in a ring when disturbed. Head of much less circum- 

 ference than the body, semiporrected, and slightly notched on the crown ; in moving 

 the head it stretches forward, and moves about in a very leech -like manner : body 

 cylindrical, slightly attenuated towards the head, and slightly incrassated dorsally on 

 the 12th segment. Head very shining, pale pellucid brown, reticulated and varie- 

 gated with darker: body excessively smooth, dull purplish brown, with several darker 

 markings, more particularly a narrow waved rich brown stripe along each side, 

 including the spiracles ; a transverse mark of the same colour, and dilated at each 

 extremity, on the 12th segment ; on various parts of the back there are also small 

 round white spots, two on the anterior part of each segment, beginning with the 3rd, 

 and two rather less distinct on the posterior part: belly, claspers and legs pale and 

 semitransparent. It changes to a pupa on or near the surface of the ground, and the 

 perfect insect emerges from the beginning to the middle of June. I am indebted to 

 Mr. Thomas Huckett for this larva. — Id. 



Description of the Larva of Tceniocampa gothica. — The egg is laid in the spring, 

 and the larva feeds on Salix caprea (sallow), Crataegus oxyacantha (whitethorn), 

 Quercus Robur (oak), and many other trees and shrubs : Mr. Doubleday has observed 

 it feeding on laurel in his own garden. When full-fed, which is usually in June, it 

 falls off the food-plant if annoyed, and feigns death, rolling itself in a compact ring, 



