THE QUERIST. 41 



to his question: — "What species have I fed in confinement on the ash?" 

 — I have beaten from ash the following larva?: — P. populi, S. psi, A. 

 ligustri, the four Toeniocampce, given, E. Illunaria, E. Fuscantaria, (once) 

 0. bidentaria, IT. pennaria, P. pilosaria, B. liirtaria and letularia, and C 

 dilutaria. According to M. Guenee C. ocerampelina feeds on the seeds 

 of ash ; and I have little noubt that E. innotaria also feeds on that tree, 

 as all my specimens of that rare species were taken, as pupa?, under moss 

 on the ash. It is well known that Sphinx ligudri also feeds on the 

 ash. When speaking of certain trees as harbouring certain pupa?, I by 

 no means assert, (though I may infer,) that the larva? feed on those trees. 

 The question is how to obtain the moth; and if I can find the pupa at 

 the root of some particular tree, it is comparatively immaterial whether 

 the larva feeds on it or not* With regard to Alni I must say that, in 

 spite of its name, I am very sceptical as to its feeding upon alder at all. 

 That tree abounds in this county, but I have in vain searched for the 

 larva ;f equally vain has been my search for the pupa, and there are few 

 moths I have more sedulously sought for, since it is yet a desideratum in 

 my collection. I have always understood that oak was its pabulum, but 

 some of your readers may perhaps have met with it elsewhere. I wish 

 to correct an error made in my first communication respecting the pupa? 

 found at the roots of poplar. I included C. diluta; this is a mistake, I 

 have found it at oak, but not at poplar. — J. Greene, Playford, Ipswich. 

 In the Querist for December, Mr. Morris seems to doubt whether any 

 of the larva? of Lepidoptera feed upon ash. I have great pleasure in 

 informing him that during some years collecting I have taken the following 

 larvae off ash, and all of them frequently, with the exception of Orgyia 

 pudibunda, Ennomos illunnria, and Enpithecia innotata. Sphinx ligustri, 

 Orgyia pudibunda, Acronycta ligustri, Tceniocampa gothica, T. instabilis, T. 

 stabilis, Odontopera bidentaria, Ennomos illunaria, Biston betularia, Chei- 

 matobia brumaria, and Eupithecia innotata. The larva? of Sphinx ligustri 

 and Acronycta ligustri are much fonder of ash than privet. The latter, 

 though I have taken a considerable number, I never, except in a single 

 instance, found upon anything but ash. This exception was a larva which 

 I beat half-grown off hazel at Malvern; I fed it upon hazel and bred 

 the perfect insect the following year. I am quite at a loss to under- 

 stand how it ever got the name of Ligustri. I have not unfrequently 

 found the pupa? of Toeniocampa gothica, stabilis, and instabilis, Biston betu- 

 laria, Agrotis putris, and Halias prasinana at the roots of ash. As there 



* Of course it is; but how can you calculate on finding it at the root of a tree it has 

 not fed on?— F. 0. Moiuus. 



f Because it is a very rare moth. — F. 0. Mokkis. 



