6770 



Insects. 



have also met with it in some plenty in waste ground near Bexley. It is not so easy 

 to rear as others of the family, and often pines in confinement. The pupa, which is 

 enclosed in an earthen cocoon, has the wing-cases dark green. Thorax and abdomen 

 yellowish, the latter not so tapering as many of the other Eupithecise. The perfect 

 insect appears in June and July. — //. Harpur Crewe ; Br eadsall Rectory, near Derby, 

 September 28, 1859. 



Additional Remarks on the Larva of Eupithecia innotata. — During the last fort- 

 night I have taken a few larvae of E. innotata off ash in this neighbourhood. I find 

 that a variety occurs here which I have not previously noticed. Its characteristics are 

 as follows :— Central dorsal line wanting. Supplied by a series of dusky triangular 

 markings, becoming very faint or altogether evanescent on the anterior and posterior 

 segments. On each side a row of slanting yellowish stripes tinged with pink. — Id. 



Description of the Larva of Eupithecia centaureata. — Long, rather slender, and 

 tapering towards the head. Has a slightly wrinkled appearance. This larva is almost 

 as variable as that of E. absinthiata ; and so dissimilar are some of the varieties that 

 I am not surprised at many a tyro being " awfully puzzled." The following are those 

 most commonly met with : — Var. 1. Bright yellowish or bluish green, with a number 

 of dorsal and subdorsal spots and lines of a darker shade ; the dorsal markings very 

 often forming a series of disjointed lozenge-shaped spots Var. 2. Uniform yellow, 

 yellowish or bluish green, without any spots or markings whatever. Var. 3. Greenish 

 or pinkish white, with a chain of deep red, trident-shaped dorsal spots, connected 

 together by the central prong, and becoming confluent towards the head. Belly 

 whitish, with a short red line or spot in the centre of several of the segments. The 

 larva feeds in August and September, upon the flowers of Senecio Jacobaea and S. 

 erucifolius, Solidago Virgaurea, Achillaea Millefolium, Eupatorium cannabinum, Pim- 

 pinella magna and P. Saxifraga, Silaus pratensis, Campanula glomerata and Scabiosa 

 columbaria. Vars. 1 and 2 I have almost invariably found upon the three first- 

 named plants, whilst those on the other flowers were var. 3. This latter variety 

 strongly resembles the pink form of E. nanata. The pupa is enclosed in an earthen 

 cocoon. There are two varieties, the commoner one scarcely, if at all, distinguishable 

 from that of E. absinthiata ; the other a uniform pale red. The perfect insect ap- 

 pears more or less from May to August. — Id. 



PS. — In my description of the larva of E. absinthiata (Zool. 6734), at line 10 

 there should be a full stop at the word " yellow ;" and at line 13 " S. crucifolium " 

 should be " S. erucifolius." — Id. 



Larva of Nolodonta dictaoides. — Mr. Smithson, Mr. Button, and some others of 

 our hard-working entomologists have beaten the larvae of Notodonta dictaeoides off 

 birch trees at Wickham. They feed on the elegant pendant branches of trees that 

 have been allowed to grow up, and are never found on those which have been cut 

 down and have thrown up suckers. — Edward Newman. 



Capture of Catocala Fraxini at Scarborough. — On the 17th of this month (Sep- 

 tember) I had the good fortune to take a very fine specimen of Catocala Fraxini at 

 rest on a wall in this town. — Thos. Wilkinson ; 6, Cliff Bridge Terrace, Scarborough, 

 September 29, 1859. 



