THE ENTOMOLOGIST’S WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER. 
191 
may be observed emerging from their 
retreats at the time of greatest obscura- 
tion, and it would be almost worth while 
sugaring for Flavicornis, on the chance 
of one mistaking the moon’s shadow for 
the approach of evening. Many years 
will elapse before another eclipse of equal 
magnitude occurs iu this country. 
We believe we have readers at North- 
ampton and Peterborough, both places 
on the line of greatest obscuration, and 
we beg such as can do so to turn their 
attention especially to the effect the 
“ darkness at noon-day” will have on the 
“ World of Insects.” 
NOTES ON NOCTUiE. 
(From Guenees ‘ FListoire Naturelle des 
Nocluilites.’ ) 
[Continued from p. 112.] 
Miselia. 
The larvae of this genus are quite as 
strange, though in a different fashion, as 
those of Valeria. Here the first segments 
are not swollen, and the head, far from 
being surrounded, projects beyond the 
neck, and is flattened in front and forked 
above. This character, and the larva 
being flattened beneath and spotted there 
with black, cause the larva to resemble 
those of a very distant family, the Cato- 
calidae, with which they might easily be 
confounded were it not for the absence of 
the membranous hairs along the sides; 
besides there is the same vivacity of their 
movements when we touch them, the same 
position when they are sheltered along 
the branches. This is a very singular 
instance of conformity between insects so 
different and so far apart. The larvae 
grow slowly, and, though they begin to 
feed early in spring, the perfect insects 
do not appear till the end of autumn. 
The cocoons of the Miselia are spun, and 
plastered with great art ; for it is no 
longer grains of earth heaped together, 
but a fine matter intimately fastened to 
the silk. These cocoons are perfectly 
oval, and so consistent that one’s fingers 
alone are not able to tear them. In the 
perfect state the Miselia still preserve a 
peculiar appearance, but they are less 
Bombyciform than the genus Valeria. 
Agriopis. 
We now return to the normal form of 
the Hadenidae: the larva of this genus has 
no tubercular eminences, nor is it flattened 
beneath, &c. It lives on the largest oak 
trees, and retires by day amongst the 
large chinks of the bark, where it is so 
firmly wedged that it is impossible to 
pull it out by main force without tearing 
it. This habit has caused some ento- 
mologists to believe that it fed upon 
lichens, but, in truth, it feeds on leaves, 
as all the others of the family. It 
changes to the chrysalis at the foot of 
the tree, and in places where the soil is 
clayey it contrives to make its cocoon in 
the hardest portion ; hence one is much 
surprised to obtain pupae on breaking 
clods as hard as flint. 
The late Me. Bichard Weaver. — 
We understand the collection of insects 
of the late Mr. Richard Weaver will 
shortly be sold. 
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