6 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST 



January 



destroy, the most ornamental garden plant, the rose " (" Entomologist," 

 III., p. 201). 



Pupa — The pupa which looks very much like the larva was first 

 described by Mr. Gregson, who writes: — " The pupa is hairy, the 

 head and wing-cases green, the abdomen lighter green with a pinkish 

 tinge, suspended by the tail ; the pupa state lasts about fifteen days, 

 when the perfect insect appears " (" Entomologist," Vol. III., p. 

 201). Mr. Porritt further writes: — "The pupa is so similar in 

 appearance to the larva, that it had actually been in that stage 

 several days before I found out the fact. I noticed, as I fancied, the 

 larva on the upper side of a leaf, motionless, and as I supposed, changing 

 its skin, and was not a little surprised, on examining it closely, to discover 

 it had become a pupa. The markings, and almost the shape, had 

 assumed the same character as the larva, but the broad purple dorsal 

 stripe was gone, and replaced by a series of pale green lozenge-shaped 

 marks, connected at the abdominal divisions ; the sub-dorsal region 

 dull purple ; wing-cases pale green, with several purplish streaks ; 

 under side af abdomen pale green, like the larva also, thickly clothed 

 on the dorsal surface with short, whitish hairs. The imago appeared 

 on the 12th of July " ("Entomologist's Monthly Magazine," p. 236)- 

 The pupa was again described by Mr. South " Entomologist," XV.i 

 p. 104). It varies considerably in colour, and hence descriptions 

 made from individual specimens are of but little actual value. 



Habitat --This species appears to occur whereever its food plants 

 are to be found. I have taken it on exposed sandhills, in sheltered 

 woods, in marshes, and by the side of ditches and hedges. It is, 

 however, peculiar in its habits, and I do not remember ever 

 having disturbed a specimen in the daytime, although I have been in 

 localities where I knew it abounded, and where it has been common 

 enough in the evening. After dusk, and as soon as it begins to get 

 dark, lithodactyla comes up from the herbage and may then be taken 

 abundantly in its favoured haunts, flying among its-foodplant. It is 

 widely distributed, and generally fairly abundant where it occurs. 

 Stainton gives: — "Bristol, Darlington, Lewes, Manchester, Scar • 

 borough, York and Lulworth Cove. I have taken it in the Isle of 

 Wight, and it occurs in most of the localities in which I have worked 

 (I have not noticed it in Wicken Fen though). It is recorded 

 as being taken freely at St. Anne's-on-Sea, in the " Entomologist's 

 Record,*' Vol. I., p. 155. Mr. Kane records it from Galway ; Mrs. 

 Hutchinson, from Leominster, " some years frequent "; Mr. A. W. P. 

 Cambridge writes: — "Rare at Bloxworth ; in woods among Inula 

 dysenterica, etc., (in litt.y ; and Mr. Porritt gives me " Doncaster and 

 Llandudno " as localities. Mr. Hodgkinson reports the larvae as 



