THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



Merrin's " Lepidopterist's Calendar." The first brood occurs in June, 

 from about the 6th to the 20th is the average time, although the date 

 varies in different seasons. The second brood feeds up very rapidly, 

 and generally appears about August 2nd, lasting till late in the month. 

 This year (1889) it was well out in the Isle of Wight on July 25th ; 

 and Mr. Robson wrote me that it was out some days before this in 

 the neighbourhood of Hartlepool. In 1888, on the other hand, the 

 season was so late that it did not apparently occur till about the 

 1 6th of August, a remarkably late date. Mr. Atmore records August 

 6th for 1884 (" Entomologist," Vol. XVIII., p. 172) ; and Mr. Walker 

 " end of July, in 1878 " (" Entomologist's Monthly Magazine," Vol. 

 IX., p. 163). 



Larva — The larva is green in colour, much sprinked with white 

 dots, and like those of many of its congeners, exhibits considerable 

 variation, being sometimes tinted with rose colour, deepening in some 

 specimens to brownish. It has short bristles, which are chiefly con- 

 fined to the head and anal segments. It feeds on sea-lavender (Statice 

 limonium), in May and July. The larva of this species was first de- 

 scribed by Mr. MoncreafF, in the "Entomologist," Vol. V., pp. 321 

 and 322. He writes : — " I have often carefully watched the female, 

 but have never been able to detect her in the act of depositing eggs, 

 so that when or how this is done I cannot say. Last autumn, I de- 

 tected small green larvae feeding on the leaves of the limonium, which 

 I thought must belong to the above species, but they were so unlike 

 any other lepidopterous larvae that I am acquainted with, that I deter- 

 mined to let them alone until the spring, when they would be larger. 

 On the first of May last I walked to their head-quarters, and after a 

 careful search, succeeded in turning out about two dozen larvae. 

 They were at rest upon the food-plant, but fell off on the slightest dis- 

 turbance, and so much resembled the limonium in colour, that it was 

 only by searching for the plants, which showed signs of being eaten, 

 I was able to find them. The larva, when full fed, is about 8"' long ; 

 the head very small, and when the creature is at rest or disturbed it 

 is drawn under the second segment, which is provided with two horn- 

 like projections, and covers the head like a cowl. The third segment 

 is the largest, and from this the body tapers gradually to the anal ex- 

 tremity ; the last segment but one being provided with a horn as in 

 Sphingida. Colour of the head brownish-green, six small black spots 

 (ocelli) on each cheek, head sparingly covered with pale obtuse setae, 

 tips of the horns pink ; the body bright green, shagreened with light 

 and dark spots ; anal segment ^green, with a ray of six long bristles, 



