50 
from his alder larvae (autumnata). It occurs to me as just possible 
that this was more than a mere coincidence, and that the red-marked 
larvfe are not so well adapted to the full summer dress of the hawthorn 
as to its early spring appearance. While I am on the subject of 
feeding, I may mention that I noticed autumnata occasionally eats its 
cast-off skin—a habit which, though frequent enough in certain 
families, is most unusual in the Larentiidae, so far as my experience 
extends. 
Further Larval habits.— In addition to the points incidentally 
noticed above, I may remark that I repeatedly observed in each of my 
three broods when in the fourth and fifth instars, but particularly the 
latter, a habit of striking round very petulantly at any object which 
was brought into contact with the tail; I did not notice this propensity 
in tUv/rammaria, but unfortunately the larvae had all gone down before 
I had thought of experimenting upon them in this direction. As this 
movement was so constant, and so vigorous, I think it must certainly 
act defensively. It is worthy of remark that I never noticed autumnata 
eject the green defensive fluid with the use of which its congener 
ililutata is so lavish." 
Pupa.— My notes on this stage are very few and meagre. Super¬ 
ficially examined, the Kpirrita pupa does not present any striking 
characters to distinguish it from the bulk of subterranean Geometric! 
pupa'; it seems to come tolerably near that of Operophtliera ( Chcima- 
tubia). The pupa; of all the species of Kpirrita arc enclosed in rather 
small compact earthen cocoons with a considerable admixture of silk, 
just beneath the surface of the earth. They are tolerably stout, but I 
fancy dilutata is stouter than its congeners. The species just named 
is somewhat variable in colour, generally red-brown (darker dorsal ly), 
but occasionally tinged with greenish on the wing-cases. But I 
believe that the pupa.' of tilit/raiumaria and autumnata are always easily 
distinguishable from it (though not from one another); they have the 
wing- and leg-cases, Ac., dull green, the rest of the pupa more or less 
greenish light brown, darkening somewhat on dorsum and anus, 
especially the latter. Hiibner’s figures (Lair, drain., ii., .T'.ijuir., B. 
la-/) of the early stages appear to me undoubtedly to represent both 
species (ililutata and autumnata), though he calls them all ililutata : at 
any rate, figs, a and h will give an excellent idea of the larva (in its 
final stage, but before losing its strongly marked appearance) and pupa 
of autumnata; even before 1 had studied autumnata 1 made a note, on 
looking at these figures “?some other species;” consequently I again 
consulted the plate on April 14th last (1898), and wrote “ 1 find my 
suspicion confirmed,” Ac.; “ b, the pupa quite agrees with mine of 
autumnata examined yesterday.” On the other hand, the figures c-f 
are true dilutata larva 1 and pupae. 
The duration of the pupal stage certainly varies considerably in 
different seasons, different individuals, Ac., as will clearly appear from 
a study of such references as Mr. Clark’s in l\nt. Bee., vii., p. 289. 
Each of my own broods went to earth within quite a limited period, 
while the dates for emergence of the imagines as given below, show 
a pretty wide range. Pupation takes place within a moderately short 
time from the completion of the cocoon, yet not so rapidly as with the 
I have since seen this fluid used by autumnata, hut wdy very rarely. 
