THE MICltO-I.EPIDorTERA, OR LEAE-MINEllS. 2^) 



degree. The first brood come forth from the mine in July to 

 s])iii cocoons, and fasten them to branches of tlie tree ; but 

 the second brood in October descend by little silken ropes, 

 and hide themselves amongst dead leaves, spinning pure white 

 cocoons, firm and warm, wherein to sleep securely through 

 the long winter. 



Nepticula aurella (Fig. 3) is the most minute of all the 

 Micro-Lepidoptera, and the most easily observed, as it mines 

 our rose leaves and brambles, but is by no means easy to 

 catch, for it runs with wonderful rapidity. Though it may 

 be found at rest on palings or trunks of trees, yet it is 

 Avary, flits off at an approach, and the delicate Avings will be 

 damaged by the sweep of a net ; and it is, therefore, better to 

 breed specimens by collecting the cocoons, or enclosing a 

 bramble branch in a muslin bag. The cocoons are always 

 found in groups of about twenty, though the larvae are quite 

 solitary in their spinning and feeding. 



Nepticula trimaculella (Fig. 4) is a pretty spotted moth, 

 which may be found resting on the trunks of oak trees in all 

 ])arts of England, about May and June. The larva, which is 

 green and shining, with a reddish head, and red dorsal vessel, 

 ])ulsating visibly under the microscope, mines oak leaves in a 

 Ijlotch about an inch long, close to the mid-rib, from which it 

 issues to spin a pale, yellow, mussel-shaped cocoon. The 

 Nepticula: always mine the upper side of leaves, except this 

 species, which is sometimes found on the under side. 



Nepticula sub-himaculella (Fig. 5) is another little oak- 

 miner, but producing only one brood, is only in the larva 

 state in October, making a triangular blotch in an angle 

 between the mid-rib and one of the veins of the leaf The 

 egg having been laid on the upper side of the leaf close to the 

 mid-rib, the larva keeps very close to the rib, leaving a thick, 

 black, central line of excrement; after which it turns about 

 and eats out a blotch, in whicli, as it grows, the excrement is 

 deposited in grains ; from which observations it ap[)ears that 

 the excrement is always fluid in the early stage of larva life, 

 and becomes solid as the digestive organs develop. 



Nepticida aiio}iinh>ll(t (Fig. (>) is the little moth tliat attracted 



