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THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



Some of the next lots to hatch, were Taniocampa gothica, leucographa, 

 rubricosa, instabilis, stabilis, miniosa, munda, and cruda. 



Gothica hatched' on May 4th. When young they feed altogether on a 

 leaf until eaten, and then remove to another, and are very lively. They fed 

 up very well on whitethorn, and pupated about June 30th. When full-fed 

 they have a very slight, resemblance to instabilis, but may readily be dis- 

 tinguished by the absence of the white dorsal line, so conspicuous on the 

 latter. They are an unpleasant larva to handle, though by no means the 

 worst of the genus, as they leave an unpleasant green stain with their mouth 

 which is difficult to remove. 



Leucographa. I had six ova of this species, which hatched on May 5th. 

 I fed them on dock, and am doubtful whether I was right or not in so doing, 

 as they died after completing their fourth moult. When resting they resemble 

 an Ionic volute, and are sluggish when disturbed. Of course I could not 

 tell what they would be when full-fed, but they did not appear at all striking 

 in appearance up to their fourth change, being of a dull green colour, and 

 walking somewhat in a geometer fashion. 



Rubricosa hatched on May 15th, from ova deposited on April 28th. The 

 young larvse resemble leucographa, especially in their way of resting, 

 but soon develope a marked difference, being a chocolate brown hue, and 

 after their final change are a very handsome larva; but, unfortunately, all 

 mine died when about full-fed, from a kind of damp rot, I think occasioned 

 by putting the food (dock) into the cage too wet, which was not a very dim- 

 cult thing to do this summer. They rest in the same position whilst young 

 as leucographa above mentioned, which is unlike any of the genus I am 

 yet acquainted with. They do not feed gregariously whilst young, and I do 

 not consider them very easily reared, but I may be incorrect. 



Instabilis. I had a very large batch of this species, which hatched from 

 May 5th to 10th. They feed very closely together until about half- grown, 

 and then appear to be fond of clustering in groups of six or eight. They 

 are an extremely variable larvae, scarcely two having the same shade of 

 colour. Some were a very dark green, while others were very light, in fact 

 almost every conceivable shade of green occurs ; but they all have the one 

 distinguishing feature, viz., the white dorsal line, which always remained 

 unchanged so far as my experience goes. I examined upwards of 400 larvae, 

 which was an objectionable thing to do, as every larva you handle leaves an 

 unpleasant green stain on your hand with its mouth, and by the time you 

 have examined a score, your hands, if you touch the larva with them, look as 

 if they had been dyed green, and this stain is not easy to remove. I often 

 think the larva? might be made into an article of commerce, as most kinds 



