THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
Hi 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Observations on Bryophila Glandifera. 
— This little creature is as pretty in the 
imago state as it is strange in the larva 
state. Any casual observer, who, in the 
early morn, should see them in vast 
numbers, eating, as it were, the surface 
off the stones, would stare; and then, 
when, as if by common consent, they all 
at once return to their little homes, 
formed to hide them from all observers, 
and composed of a mixture of web, dirt 
and “ frass,” his astonishment would pro- 
bably be increased. The larva: of this 
species are hatched in October and 
November, and bybernate through the 
winter, hid in holes of walls: they are 
of a grey colour, dotted with minute 
black and white spots; the dorsal and 
spiracular lines white; the head jet- 
black; the belly of a dark transparent 
green ; the back covered with a few 
straggling stiff hairs. In February they 
emerge from their hiding-places, and on 
a mild morning may be found feeding; 
but in March they appear much more 
freely, and after some of the strong 
March winds they may be found in con- 
siderable numbers, blown off from the 
wall, and creeping about the ground : I 
have seen great numbers of them de- 
stroyed in this way, by falling on to the 
footpath and being trodden upon. They 
are likewise the prey of sparrows, who 
thin their numbers considerably, espe- 
cially when in the pupa state: I have 
frequently stood looking on as the spar- 
rows were at their work, flying against 
the wall, and breaking open their little 
hiding-places, to pick out their prey ; in 
fact, I think the sparrows the greatest 
enemies they have. The larvae are very 
difficult to rear in confinement, con- 
tinually walkiug about, aud never seem- 
ing to feel contented: I have tried them 
several times with but very indifferent 
success; the only way I succeeded was 
by chipping off pieces of the stone with 
the stain-like lichen on it, and which I 
put at intervals into the box with the 
larvae, which I kept out of doors, so that 
the food should not dry up ; but even by 
this method I did not rear many. They 
generally enter the pupa state in June, 
but many much later ; I have had at one 
time the fresh imago, pupa and larva. 
The food-plant grows so flat and close to 
the stone that it is very difficult to get it 
off; it looks, to the naked eye, like a 
stain. They will breed in confinement, 
as I have seen them several times in 
cop. on the sides of the breeding-cage, 
but I never thought it worth while to 
rear them from the ova, as it would try 
the patience of any one to do so. They 
mostly emerge in August, but I have 
had them in July, and last season in the 
latter part of September. They may be 
taken pretty freely at sugar. The cocoon 
is mostly of a tough web and dirt mixed, 
hid in holes in walls, but sometimes they 
change to pupa behind their screens: the 
pupa is of a slender form, and of a light 
colour. The imago varies very much in 
colouring, from a dusky marbled brownish 
grey to white and black and greenish. I 
took a larva of this species on the 21st of 
December, 1860, about two-thirds its 
usual size. — J. S. D. 
Eupithecia Coronata. — Towards the 
end of November last I found several 
small Geometrous larvae feeding upon 
the fruit of the bramble, vulyo “ black- 
berries;” with the aid of an umbrella aud 
stick I secured more. I fed them with 
the ripe fruit and also with the withered 
blossoms: they all pupaized under the 
earth, and in about a fortnight one 
emerged in the shape of Eupithecia 
