Kew : Weevil- Cocoons of the Figworts. 



153 



be said to be spun ; but parts of the larva's proceedings are 

 very like those oi Hyper a, which is certainly an aberrant spinner 

 of remarkable character. Perris has watched the behaviour of 

 several species, and Osborne has subsequently published notes 

 relating exclusively to Cionns scrophularice. Stated briefly, it 

 appears that when the larva is about to undergo its change to 

 pupa, it fixes itself to the plant, and, remaining motionless with 

 the body contracted, it augments the thickness of the layer of 

 mucus which invests it, and which then gradually dries around 

 the body, enclosing it completely. Then managing to detach 

 itself from the layer, it finds itself free within a cocoon. Sub- 

 sequently, however, the larva consolidates the dwelling, from 

 within, by plastering it with mucus, which it takes from the 

 anal nipple and spreads with the mandibles and palpi. In the 

 original membrane there are small holes with everted edges- 

 like those of a nutmeg grater on the rough side — sparsely 

 scattered over the equatorial region of the cocoon ; but these 

 are soon plastered up by the enclosed larva, and they result in 

 the formation on the outside of the structure of the small goose- 

 skin points already referred to. When a newly formed cocoon 

 is torn from the plant, it is found to have a small hole at the 

 place where it was fastened ; and, if the larva is still active, it' 

 immediately sets about repairing the deficiency. Looking 

 through the hole, Osborne saw the creature plucking off, with 

 its mandibles, little pellets of mucus from the anal nipple ; and 

 the matter thus obtained was stuck to the edge of the opening, 

 and drawn out and moulded with the mouth into a membrane, 

 which soon dried and resembled the rest of the cocoon. It was 

 not until after consulting the writings of others, and putting 

 together an account, that the present writer had an opportunity 

 of seeing the cocoons of Ciouus scrophularice and of observing 

 the manner of their formation. In July 1898, how r ever, on 

 finding the insect at Hampstead, I brought home infested 

 spikes of the Scrophularia nodosa, and kept them under observa- 

 tion in vases. Numerous little bladders had already been made 

 on the pedicels of destroyed buds, and the larvae which remained 

 soon got about the formation of their temporary domiciles. 

 After fixing upon a spot for this purpose, the larva becomes 

 motionless, with its body contracted, but still attached to the 

 plant, as during its activity, by the whole ventral surface. Its 

 body-mucus has hitherto been transparent, but one now sees 

 that* a whitish opaque mucus is gradually covering the creature. 

 This is first observed about the anterior extremity, and one's 



1902 May 1. 



