Johnson : Life Histoey of Cucullia Chamomill^. 



91 



to make additions to the sum of human knowledge. The natural 

 sciences are, however, so closely interwoven that it is impossible to 

 study one properly without a knowledge of the others ; and therefore 

 I believe that the true rule and the standard which we should place 

 before us, impracticable of attainment though it be, is, " to know 

 something about everything, and everything about something," 



LIFE HISTORY OF CUCULLIA CIIAMOMILLM'' 



By William JoHisrsoisr. 



I HAVE been in the habit for many years of taking this insect, sparingly, 

 so last year thought I would try to find the larvse. The second week 

 in June I commenced my search, and after trying several localities, 

 was at last successful, and by the end of July had a goodly number. 

 I found them all sizes — from three-eighths of an inch long to fuUgrown 

 ones, feeding on the wild chamomile {Anthemis Cotula)^ the flowers 

 seeming to be the best relished, as they would devour the middle in a 

 very short time, and then go to another ; not disdaining, however, to 

 eat the leaves if there were no flowers to be had. 



These larvae are very beautiful, and vary much in colour. They are 

 well described in " Newman's British Moths," They have a peculiarity 

 ' which I have not noticed generally in other larvse — they seem to be 

 very sensitive, and soon take alarm, as the least touch of the food- 

 plant constantly stops their feeding ; and if the annoyance continues, 

 they commence a wriggling and twisting which is quite amusing. 

 They then fall to the ground, but no sooner drop than they are on 

 their feet again, and if all is still, at once mount the plant again and 

 commence feeding ravenously ; but in the breeding-cage they lose this 

 timidity, and if you hold a fresh flower to them, they will commence 

 feeding on it without any fear. 



They are very much infested by a small Ichneumon, and when they 

 are about three-eighths of an inch long, and appear to be moulting, 

 the larvse of this Ichneumon will be seen emerging from its body, and, 

 as it comes out, forming its own cocoon at the same time. They are 

 also subject to the attacks of another fly, one of those with the striped 

 body, red eyes, and proboscis, which poise themselves in the air on a 

 hot sunshiny day and make such sudden darts. I stood and watched 

 both fly and caterpillar, but so sudden is the attack of this fly, that it 

 is impossible to follow it with the eye. By tlie contortions and falling 



* Kead at the August Meeting of the LancasMre and Cheshire Entomological Society. 



