I) THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



When young it is of a dull brownish-green color, gradually assuming a 

 reddish tint, until at maturity the dorsum and sides are of a deep dull 

 pink arranged in wavy shaded stripes, which are most intense on the sub- 

 dorsal spaces. Head oblique, round, pale glossy grayish-brown, with dark 

 brown mandibles and the triangular face outlined with the same color. 

 Cervical collar entirely covering top of ist segment of glossy dark grayish- 

 brown, marked on the dorsum wtth a narrow but distinct longitudinal line 

 of white. Anal plate brown and horny. Legs and prolegs well devel- 

 oped. Pupates in a dense, tough, yellowish-white cocoon on the surface 

 of the ground. Moths issue in about ten days. There are at least two 

 distinct broods in a season, the second of which hybernates in cocoon." 



Miss Murtfeldt adds : " The Oenotheras ought to be dear to the Ento- 

 mologist on account of the numerous and beautiful insects which they 

 foster. I have already reared from them seven or eight distinct species 

 and am sure that there are still others." 



One of these is L. ? cenotherceella Cham., which, however, is no doubt 

 the same species placed by Zeller provisionally in Phyllocnistis as P. mag- 

 nalella. As stated elsewhere, this, though not a true Laverna, is nearer to 

 that genus than to Phyllocnistis. 



L. a'/iothercesemenella Cham, is another of the (Enolhera-feed'mg species. 



In Colorado I met with a larva believed to be that of a Laverna min- 

 ing in the leaves of a species of (Enothera, but I did not succeed in 

 rearing it. 



Including ocnotheraiella, there are thus five species of Laverna which 

 are known to feed on QLnotliera in this country ; and it is not at all im- 

 probable that other species will also be found to feed upon this genus of 

 plants. The genus Epilobium is nearly allied to (Enothera, and in Europe 

 eleven of the seventeen known species feed upon Epilobium, one of the 

 eleven also feeding on an allied plant (Cirava luteliana). 



Since the original description of Mnrtfeldtella was prepared, I have 

 also taken it in Kentucky. The dark lines and specks mentioned in the 

 description are seen in the fresh specimens to be mostly composed of 

 raised scales, and so likewise are some of the white marks ; and there are 

 also some raised scales on the thorax. Its nearest known congener seems 

 to be L. decorclla Stainton. A comparison of a good series of specimens 

 satisfies me that L. albocapitella Cham, and L. grissella Cham, are merely 

 variations of L. Mnrtfeldtella. 



