8774 



Insects. 



a straight position, but on being 1 disturbed fall off the food-plant, and lie in a curved 

 posture, the head and tail approaching. The head is wider than the 2nd segment, but 

 narrower than those which follow, somewhat notched on the crown, and covered with 

 spinose points, which vary in size, and each of which terminates in a bristle ; the 2nd 

 segment is narrow, and has a transverse series of small spines, each of which 

 terminates in a bristle; the 3rd and 4th segments have each a transverse series 

 of eight spines — two on each side of the belly near the insertion of the leg, very 

 small and inconspicuous ; and two others on each side of the back, conspicuous 

 and branched, each of the branches, as well as the central spine, terminating 

 in a bristle ; the following segments, from the 5th to the 12th inclusive, have 

 each seven branched spines, one medio-dorsal, the others at regular intervals, 

 the medio-dorsal spine always placed slightly in advance of the rest: the 

 13th segment has four branched spines. Head black, its warts white : body 

 with the dorsal surface black and irrorated with yellow dots, each of which emits 

 a slender bristle ; these dots are frequently so numerous as to form a broad yellow 

 dorsal stripe, which, however, is always interrupted by a narrow median black stripe: 

 on each side are two yellowish stripes, one above, the other below the spiracles ; the 

 subspiracular stripe is the blighter and more distinct of the two ; the spiracles are 

 black and surrounded by a pale ring ; the belly is pale, excepting between each pair 

 of claspers, where it is dark, but still irrorated with minute white dots; spines gene- 

 rally smoky green, but not unfrequently black; claspers smoky green. When full- 

 fed it sometimes crawls away from its food-plant, and selects a twig or leaf of some 

 neighbouring plant, or the coping-stone of a wall, or a wooden rail or palings, on 

 which to undergo its change to a pupa, but more often it prefers the under side of a 

 nettle-leaf; in either case it spins a slight web over the object selected, and, suspend- 

 ing itself therefrom by the anal claspers head downwards, it becomes a rather elongate 

 and sharply angulated pupa, which has the head deeply notched on the crown, the 

 points distant and acute ; the thorax is dorsally humped, the hump having a median 

 elevated point ; on each side of the thorax, near the insertion of the wing-cases, are 

 two rather obtuse elevations ; the back has three series of raised points, the median 

 series consisting of six, all of them small and insignificant ; each lateral series consists 

 of nine points, three of them thoracic, small and insignificant, the remaining six con- 

 spicuous and abdominal ; the terminal segment of the abdomen is slightly spatulate, 

 and terminates in a complete fringe of minute hooks, by which the pupa is attached to 

 the web : the prevailing colour of the pupa is brown, mottled or reticulated with 

 black, and adorned with golden spots and reflexions; the spots generally comprise the 

 lateral spinous processes ; about the junction of thorax and abdomen the reflexions or 

 tints of gold are more extended, sometimes embracing the wing-cases. — E. JSeivman. 



Description of the Larva of Vanessa Atalanta. — The egg is solitary, laid in May 

 and June, here and there, on the leaves of Urtica dioica (stinging nettle) : almost 

 immediately after emerging from the egg the little larva draws together the leaves of 

 the nettle, and feeds in concealment; as it increases in size it requires more space, and 

 continues to increase the size of its domicile up to the period of pupation ; I have never 

 met with it feeding exposed : when removed from its retreat it feigns death, bending 

 its extremities together ; all its movements are slow and lethargic, and its only object, 

 when exposed, appears to be again to conceal itself. When full-fed the head is 

 broader than the 2nd segment, but narrower than the succeeding segments ; it is 

 covered with projecting warts, which vary considerably in size ; body obese, tapering 



