Insects. 



8775 



slightly towards the extremities; 2nd segment narrow, having a transverse series of 

 small spines, one of which on each side is somewhat larger and more horny than the 

 rest ; the 3rd and 4th segments have each a transverse series of eight spines ; a pair on 

 each side small and inconspicuous; the remaining four longer, conspicuous and 

 branched, or emitting minor spines, each of which terminates in a bristle ; the other 

 segments, from the 5th to the 12th inclusive, have each seven branched spines, one 

 medio-dorsal spine being placed in advance of the rest ; the 13th segment has four 

 spines. Head black and rather shining, the smaller points white, the larger ones 

 black: body with the groundcolour generally gray-green, irrorated with black and 

 having a rather broad waved stripe on each side just below the spiracles : belly smoky 

 flesh-colour; legs shining black; claspers smoky flesh-colour: such is a description of 

 the usual colouring, but this is extremely variable ; the ground colour in some is 

 dingy white, and the lateral stripe scarcely distinguishable ; in others it is mottled 

 gray-green, the lateral stripe inclining to yellow ; again, in others the ground colour 

 is intense black, thickly sprinkled with white dots, and the lateral stripe brilliantly 

 white or yellow : again the spines on the 3rd segment are sometimes intensely black, 

 while all the others are smoky flesh-coloured, but in other specimens all the spines are 

 alike dingy and semitransparent, with black tips. When full-fed it constructs a some- 

 what more elaborate retreat; it gnaws through the petiole of a leaf, or eats the main 

 stalk of the nettle within a few inches of the top, not quite separating it ; the part thus 

 almost separated falls over and completely withers, and this withered portion is formed 

 into a compact retreat, secured from casualties of weather and from the inspection of 

 birds; from the roof of this the larva suspends itself by the anal claspers, and in two 

 days becomes an obese, humped and angulated pupa, the head of which is notched on 

 the crown, the divisions containing the palpi being distant and very obtuse; the thorax 

 has a large dorsal elevation terminating in a median point : on each side near the 

 edge of the wing-cases are two obtuse angles ; on the back of the abdomen are three 

 longitudinal series of elevated points ; the median series consists of six rather insigni- 

 ficant and inconspicuous points ; each lateral series consists of nine points, two of 

 which are thoracic and seven abdominal, the lateral points being much larger and 

 more conspicuous than those of the median series ; the anal segment is slender and 

 beak-like, and is terminated by a dense fringe of minute and very acute hooks, by 

 which the pupa is suspended from the silk of which the roof of its retreat is con- 

 structed : the colour of the pupa is reddish gray, delicately reticulated and marbled 

 with black : it appears covered with bloom, like that on a ripe plum, and is adorned 

 with very beautiful golden spots,* more especially on the lateral thoracic points. The 

 perfect insect appears about the fourteenth day, and seems to delight in settling on 

 autumnal flowers and sunning itself on leaves, or in pathways ; but the ovary of the 

 female contains no eggs, and she seems to possess no attraction for the male ; both 

 sexes hybernate early ; they reappear in the spring, but later than our other Vanessa? : 

 the usual intercourse then takes place, and oviposition follows. — Edward Newman. 



Occurrence of Sphinx Convolvuli near Derby. — Last evening, between 7 and 8 

 o'clock, I captured a very fine specimen of the Sphinx Convolvuli, hovering over a bed 

 of Petunias. I have not seen one here since the year 1 846. — Henri/ R. Crewe; Breadsall 

 Rectory, near Derby, September 10, 1863. 



* A popular fallacy attributes these golden markings to the presence of parasites. 



