234 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



The black larvae of this "beetle were very plentiful in a moist meadow near 

 here (Louth), where they fed on the leaves of Scabiosa succisa (Devil's-bit), 

 eating large pieces out of them in the same manner as a lepidopterous larva 

 would do. Considering the dilapidated appearance of the leaves of this 

 plant which have been attacked, we might almost imagine that these doubt- 

 lessly innocent larvae had within thein a spite, not less Satanic than had the 

 Devil, when he converted what tradition says was once a fusiform root into 

 a truncate one. The year the larva? were taken by Mr. Goulding in the 

 field above mentioned on the 6th June, they pnpated on the 21st June, and 

 emerged in the perfect state 26 days later. The beetle is white when it first 

 quits the pupal covering. Afterwards it is black, about 4| lines in length, 

 its abdomen being large when compared with the size of the elytra. 

 Louth. 



THREE HOURS ON THE SAND HILLS AT 

 CROSBY, NEAR LIVERPOOL, 



On BANK HOLIDAY, Aug. 3rd, 1885. 



Mr. Eose (of Barnsley) and his son being at my house on the above date, 

 a proposition to have a few hours on the sand hills was carried nem. con.> 

 and we spent three hours there, with the following results. On the sallows, 

 willows, and poplar bushes Liparis salicis was sitting exposed, in plenty and 

 in fine condition. Agrotis tritici, A. cursoria, A. valigera, A. pmcox, 

 Triphcena orbona, and pronuba including the var. comus y inuba, and almost 

 every other variety named or unnamed were shaken or raked out of over- 

 hanging banks on sand hills. Passing along a rather high hill on which 

 Ononis arvensis was abundant, it was remarked " this is the sort of place for 

 Heliothis marginata larva a little later on in the month." This set our ener- 

 getic friend Rose wild with joy, and it was not long before he brought two 

 small green larvae for inspection, H. marginata or peltigera certain, but too 

 young to swear by. Being unwell myself I could not help my friends much, 

 but upwards of three dozen larvae were secured, including three or four of a 

 INoctua larva too young to differentiate. When beating the banks sundry 

 common species came tumbling or flying out, including several Caradrina 

 cubicularis ; and as Crosby sand hills are near where C. exigna was taken 

 last year, all these had to be captured and examined, although time was fly- 

 ing. The pupa of M. galiata rolled down now and then, and sundry 

 Fusca, Grambus culmellus, Scopula ferrugalis, and Eudorea angustea 



