194 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



The lepidopterist. will probably in September give much of his time to 

 larva-hunting, inasmuch as the number of caterpillars is now very large and 

 one may be fully occupied seeking them. Several kinds may be taken 

 towards the end of the month fully grown, and may be boxed if desired as 

 they are wandering about, seeking for a favourable spot in which to assume 

 the pupa state. I shall be able to mention only a portion of those which 

 may be found this month, but many of those omitted will be found described 

 or enumerated in the last volume of this magazine (See Young Naturalist, 

 Vol V. p.p. m to 230 inclusive.) 



On maple saplings we may search for the larvse of Gelechia scriptella and 

 Lithocolletis acerifoliella The first named of these feeds in turned down 

 leaves, the other mines the underside in a small whitish blotch. A figure 

 was given of it with the number of the Young Naturalist for July 1884. 

 Yery rarely Gracilaria hemidactyella may also be found on maple, but it is 

 more likely to be met with on sycamore. It forms a cone at the edge of a 

 leaf, as much as an inch long when the larva? is full-grown, which is the case 

 in the early part of September, and when ready to assume the pupa state it 

 makes a flat, smooth cocoon of a yellowish- white colour, paper-like in texture, 

 and of an elongate oval form. This cocoon is so transparent that the pupa 

 can be readily seen through its substance. The moth, which appears later 

 on in the month, is about half-an-inch in expanse of wings, of a pale ochreous 

 colour, marbled with a reddish shade and having a distinct costal triangle 

 which does not cross the fold ; there are also some small fuscous-coloured 

 spots on the costal margin. It is not at a common species, and I have not 

 seen specimens from anywhere else than the south of England, where it seems 

 to have a predilection for the coast. The pretty caterpillars of Acronycta 

 aceris also feed on sycamore, and are full-grown in September. They are of 

 a buff or flesh- colour, with long tufts of yellow or orange-coloured hair 

 symmetrically arranged close together along each side, and have a row of 

 lozenge-shaped white spots down the back. Under the bark of sycamore 

 trees may be found the dull white larvse of Ephippiphora regiana, but it is 

 perhaps best not to collect then until they are full-grown in October. They 

 may be found in most places. 



The larvse of the Prominent-moths are among the September caterpillars. 

 Thus, for instance, we find the rather variable larvse of the Pebble prominent 

 (Nododonta ziczac) on poplars and sallows. It has a pyramidal protuberance 

 on the back of each of the sixth, seventh and eighth segments, and three 

 pale stripes on each side, on a ground colour of either ashy-grey or violet- 

 grey, or sometimes reddish-brown. The caterpillar of the Swallow Prominent 

 (Notodonta diclceaj is sometimes of a dull brown colour, but generally it is 



