228 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST 



of these spots to the tail ; the horn was 

 very small. I believe these caterpillars 

 (foreign of course) can be purchased of the 

 London dealers, and they are well worth 

 the price they charge. 



Another caterpillar of which I have never 

 seen an undoubted British specimen, but 

 which it is as well to look out for, is that of 

 the Silver Striped Hawk-moth ( Choerocampa 

 celerio ) . Stainton, quoting Freyer, describes 

 it as " Green or purplish brown ; on the 5th 

 and 6th segments are two round black spots, 

 dotted with yellow and encircled with a 

 yellow ring ; those on the 5th segment 

 larger. Horn brown, very slender, and 

 quite straight. On vine." 



Omitting mention of such species as are 

 well known to everyone I will briefly 

 describe the larvae of the Water Ermine- 

 moth (A. urtioce) and the Nut Tree Tussock 

 (Demas coryli). 



Arctia urticcs (Spilosoma papyratia of 

 Stainton) . Like all the bear-like caterpillars 

 of the family, very hairy ; colour very dark, 

 almost black ; a very faint stripe down the 

 back. It feeds on the water mint in the 

 fens near Cambridge, and some other places; 

 it is not very particular about its food 

 provided it is damp, and will eat several 

 kinds of semi aquatic plants, but is never 

 found anywhere else than by the side of wet 

 ditches. The larva of Demas coryli is greyish 

 with a yellow head and a broad black stripe 

 down the back ; there are tufts of reddish 

 brown hairs on the fourth, fifth and twelfth 

 segments. Stainton gives a variety of 

 different trees as its food, I have never found 

 it anywhere else than on beech and hazel. 



The perfect insects among the Geometrina 

 for September, include the Canary 

 shouldered Thorn (Ennomos tiliaria), with 

 orange coloured wings and canary coloured 

 thorax ; the dull ochreous Dusky Thorn 

 (Ennomos ftiscantaria) , with brown thorax 

 and body ; the yellowish September Thorn 

 (Ennomos erosaria), and the ochre and 



brown August Thorn (Ennomos angularia) 

 which came out last month. O. filigrcm- 

 maria, mentioned in the last number is also 

 still on the wing. 



The Geometrina larvae I would like to call 

 the attention of my readers to are the 

 following : — 



First I would recommend them to search 

 now for the elongated green caterpillars of 

 the Speckled Yellow-moth ( V&nAUa maculata) 

 on nettles and other low plants. The 

 distinct white lines make them easily 

 recognisable. The reddish brown twig-like 

 larvae of the Scorch - wing (Eurymene 

 dolooraria) are feeding also on birch and 

 oak ; the ashy grey marbled, also twig-like 

 larvae of Selerina limaria are feeding on 

 oak and eim, (also sloe) ; the greyish brown, 

 marbled larvae of Selenia illustraria with 

 prominences on four of the middle segments 

 are feeding on birch, beech, ash and oak 

 trees; and the pale grey larva of the 

 Brindled White Spot of Newman (Tephrosia 

 extersaria) feeds on birch. The ground 

 colour of the last is clouded with reddish 

 brown. 



Other Geometrina larvae to be looked for 

 in September are :— 



Nemoria viridata (the Small Grass Emer- 

 ald). — Flesh coloured; long and slender; 

 head bifid ; two points on the second 

 segment ; feeds on bramble and hawthorn. 



Mphyra porata — Elongate; green, or flesh 

 colour with head and last segment red. 

 On oak. 



Ephyra punctaria (the Maiden's blush.) 

 Bright apple green, with oblique yellow 

 transverse lines ; some specimens are fawn- 

 coloured or tawny. Feeds on oak. 



Ephyra orbicularis (the Mocha) elongate ; 

 yellowish green with yellow incisions ; lines 

 yellowish. On alder and sallow. 



Ephyra pendulvria (the Birch Mocha.) — 

 Variable in colour, some specimens green ; 

 others tawny ; and some brown, with red- 

 dish head and legs. 



