207 
The egg is unusually large for a Nodua, quite as large as that of Xyhcampa 
Uhorhizi; in shape round and full above, but rather flattened below ; the surface 
IS glistening, and ornamented with more than thirty slight longitudinal ribs, of 
Fvhich more than half terminate before reaching the apex ; these ribs are connected 
3y very slight transverse reticulations. The colour at first is whitish, faintly tinged 
vith yellow, but it soon becomes blotched with brownish buff, in some specimens 
rregularly, in others more regularly with a central spot at the top, and a broad 
Jelt round the middle, and to the naked eye the egg now appears something the 
!olour of a grain of wheat : after a time the blotches turn to puce, and finally the 
vholo egg becomes pale purplish. 
The larva at first is of a semi-translucent purplish tint, with brown shining 
lead, and the usual dots black and distinct, each emitting a long wavy whitish 
lair. The first food eaten is the empty egg-shell, but after the larva has begun to 
•at leaves its colour soon becomes gi-eenish. After a few days the colour changes 
o brown, and the hairs show golden in the sunshine; and after another moult the 
irown becomes darker, and the transverse rows of tubercular dots show to the 
laked eye like dark bands. When about | inch in length it assumes a waxy 
hmmg appearance, reminding one of an Agrotis, with the head and collar shining 
lack, but after the next moult it comes out at first nearly black all over ; this 
igritude does not, however, last long ; in a day or two the skin becomes paler, 
nd from this time till it attains the length of U inch the description is as follows :— 
'he ground colour ochreous-brown, with rather pale dorsal, sub-dorsal, and spira- 
ular lines ; the head dark brown, a dark brown dull plate on second segment, also 
Q tip of the anal segment; the tubercular dots black and very distinct, the first 
orsal pair of them in each segment after the fourth being placed in a blackish- 
rown transversely oval patch, which interrupts the dorsal line ; the body thinly 
Jvered with very fine silky, brown hairs : in some specimens the oval dorsal 
atches are replaced by paii-s of oblong dots, separated by the dorsal line. The 
•ngth of the full-grown larva is U inch when at rest, but more than IJ when in 
lotion, its powers of self-extension or contraction being much greater than those of 
Qy other Noctua larva with which I am acquainted : the figure stoutest at the 
velfth segment, and thence tapering regularly to the head, which is the smallest 
»gment, and the thirteenth tapei-ing rapidly behind, the anal pair of legs being 
mark-ably close together ; the skin is soft, and each segment swells out plump in 
le middle, all the tubercles and the plate on 13th segment have disappeared, and 
nongst the long fine silky hairs there is now a growth of shorter ones. The 
ilour is now purplish-brown, glistening in certain positions with a faint violet, 
ealy gloss; the pulsating dorsal vessel shows as an indistinct paler line; the 
irk patches down the back have become in some instances a tliick, clumsy X on 
^ch segment, in others a pair of curved blotches, and there are also pairs of 
aaller and fainter dots on segments 2, 3, and 4, those on 4 being the largest, and 
a square form ; the head is intensely black ; the region of the back is curiously 
3ckled with very fine blackish-brown curved marks, which, however, do not touch 
e X marks, but allow them, as it were, to stand out more distinctly; and in the 
mo way the sub-dorsal and spiracular lines are to be distinguished by the absence 
these freckles from the ground colour, rather than by any decided Hue of another 
It ; the spiracles small, black, and shining ; the belly paler than the back, and 
mewhat tinged with green ; the hairs are all of a beautiful golden brown. The 
bit of the larva seemed to be to hide itself by day, in spite of its silky, Bomhyx- 
:e clothing, and to feed and move at night ; and I fancy its food, when at large, 
ast consist of low plants, rather than trees or shrubs, otherwise we should hear 
its capture. 
