56 
It will be seen from this table that the earliest date on which I have 
found the hybernated larva wild is May 23rd, and the latest June 13th. 
For assembling the males, my earliest date seems to be June 14th, and 
the latest July 10th. The divergence of dates appears to result from 
the season and the state of the weather. 
The artificial rearing of the insect carries on the life-history and 
habits a little further. In captivity I find the hybernated larvae 
moving as early as February 5th, 1894, of course indoors, in 1887 and 
and 1891 they did not move until April 30th. In 1893 I reared a 
second brood from August 25th-28th, in 1895 from 6th September, 
and in 1896 from August 14th-September 3rd. The 1893 brood was 
carried one stage further, for I find ova hatching September 15th-20th, 
I think I am right in saying that these larvae did not survive the winter, 
the brood which I record as waking up, February, 1894, being the 
laggards from the former year. I believe Mr. Bacot has succeeded in 
bringing through a third brood, although I failed. 
It appears to me, from these observations, that 0.‘ gonostiqma really, 
under favourable conditions, tends to become continuously brooded. 
There seems to be no tendency to lag at any stage but the larval, and 
the hesitation at this point is very easily overcome by care. 
The food plants are very numerous. I have found it on oak and 
birch. It is very fond of rose and sallow, upon which latter plant the 
older entomologists reckoned they could best secure a second brood. 
Probably they were correct, at any rate, sallow oilers a convenient and 
succulent pabulum for the young larvae. I am very much inclined to 
think the hybernating stage in this species is a fixed one. There is a 
marked difference between those larvae which run away and those which 
elect to abide the (in this country) more natural course. One very 
noticeable point about this species is the invariable habit of changing 
skin before eating in the spring. I have no doubt that these things are 
better known to Mr. Bacot than to myself, and I hope he will set me 
right if I am not correct. 
I have, in old times, found the full-fed larvae feeding exposed. It is 
very conspicuous when revelling in the bright sunlight, and I remember 
one day, when I had been pulled up by an enquiring gamekeeper, 
after telling him what I was after, suddenly dropping my eye upon a 
lovely larva, and being able to point out to the man that that was mg 
game ; he knew enough of me to believe my statement. 
I have twice found the cocoon in nature, once with a pupa enclosed, 
and once with a pair of imagines. The facts concerning this latter 
experience have been recorded by Dr. Chapman in his notes on the 
genus. I will simply mention, for the assistance of those who have not 
read his paper, that the full fed larva of 0. gonostigma differs in its 
habit from 0. antiqua, and I think most of the other species, in that it 
constructs a double cocoon with a loosely connected bunch of leaves. 
The inner cocoon is closely wrought of dirty white silk, but is full of 
holes of various sizes, Avhile the innermost is very like that of O. antiqua 
and 0. leucostigma, the only species known to me. The female emerges 
from her sanctum, and, at least in the instance which I found, the male 
enlarges one of the entrances, and meets his mate within. This was 
the state of things which I observed. Of course in captivity, the 
conditions being so different, we find the larvae dispensing with the 
