82 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



didymata feeds on primrose and cowslip ; the brown L. olivaria on bed- 

 straw, the whitish grey Eupilhecia tenuiata in sallow catkins • the dull-green 

 Thera firmaria on fir ; with brown head and yellow spiracular line. * M. mon- 

 tanata feeds on primrose and other plants ; the common Camptogramma 

 bilineata on grass. Cidaria russata on various plants ; C. dotata on currant, 

 and Eubolia plumbaria on clover and heath. 



Of the Noctnma larvse to be looked after now we have the bluish-black 

 Bryophila perla, the green B. glandifera, and the rare grey-green B. alga (if 

 we could find it), all three feeding on lichens. Leucania impura on carex, L. 

 pallens on grass, and Senta ulvce in reed stems ; Xylophasia rurea, X. polyodon, 

 and X. hepatica, living underground in the day-time. Cerigo cytherea, feednig 

 on grass growing on dry and stony hills ; *Mamestra furva on Aira canescens ; 

 Apamea gemina, A. unanimis, and * A. oculea, on grass; A. fibrosa, in the 

 flower stems of Iris pseudacorus ; Miana strigilis in stems of grasses ; Gram- 

 mesia trilinea, on plantain; Caradrina morpheas, on teasle; C. alsines, on 

 chickweed, plantain, &c. C. blanda, on low plants ; C. cubicularis, on chick- 

 weed; Agrotis valligera, * A. segetum, and * A. exclamationis, at roots of 

 grasses, A. cinerea at roots of low plants, A. pyropliila do. and grasses; 

 Tryphana ianthina and T. fimbria on primroses ; T. interjecta, T. subsequa, 

 T. orbona, T. pronuba, Noctua augur, N. plecta, N. c-nigrum, N. triangulum, 

 * 2V. brunnea, * N. f estiva, N. Dahlii, N. umbrosa and 2V. baja on various 

 low plants at night, living concealed during the day. N. xanthographa on 

 grass, and the dark grey-purplish Aplecta herbida, together with *A. occulta, 

 *A. nebulosa, *A. tincta, Plusia iota, P. gamma, Mania lypica, and Mania 

 maura are other Noctuina larvae occurring in April. 



Herminia nemoralis is also one of the spring-feeding caterpillars. It is 

 variegated with dull green and black, and has a row of triangular marks 

 down the back, and oblique streaks down the sides. It feeds on the alternate- 

 leaved golden saxifrage. 



This is the month to collect the curious larvae of the Hydrocampidce, so 

 much resembling caddis worms in their mode of life. Cataclysta lemnalis, 

 Paraponyx stratiotalis and Hydrcoampa nymp/icsalis are all entirely aquatic. 



* Cataclysta lemnalis is olive-brown, with white head. It lives in a case 

 of silk and leaves, and feeds on duckweed. 



Paraponyx stratiotalis is green, with brown head. It is thoroughly 

 aquatic, and feeds on water starwort (Callitric/ie) , water ulve (Stralioles), &c. 



Hydrocampa nympfaeoMs is yellowish-white, with a brown head. It lives 

 in a case on water lilies and Potamogeton. 



I regret I have not space to enumerate the larva? of the Tortricina and 

 Tineina to be found in April. 



Cambridge. 



