1878.] 235 



cocoons amongst the fallen leaves, close to the surface of the earth, in my breeding 

 cage. — Joseph Ciiappell, 22, Boundary Street, Ilulmc, Manchester : February 

 Ath, 1878. 



On the numerical proportion between Micro- and Macro-Lepidoptera in the 

 Tropics, Sfc. — In the "Horse Societatis Entomologicce Eossicae," vol. xiii (1877), 

 Professor Zeller has described, in his usual excellent manner, a vast number of new- 

 exotic Micro-Lepidoptira (Chilonina, Crambina, Tortricina, Tineina, and Ptero- 

 phorina), the greatest part of which were collected by Baron v. Nolcken in Bogota, 

 where the capture of these small moths and the study of their natural history were 

 made by tlie Baron objects of primary consideration, and not, as by others previously, 

 deemed to be of inferior importance, and the specimens are therefore in finer con- 

 dition than any others brought to Europe from tropical South America. The memoir 

 also includes a large nuniber of species in the collection of Dr. Staudincer, obtained 

 from all parts of the world, many of the finest haying been bi'ought from Panama 

 and Chiriqui by Herr H. Kibbe, and from the Chanchamayo taken by Herr Thamm. 



The studies of Professor Zeller lead him to the conclusion that as yet we are 

 only at the very beginning of our knowledge of exotic Micro- Lepidoptera, considering 

 not only that, with regard to them, immense regions have not been in the least ex- 

 plored, but also that in the countries that have been visited by collectors they have 

 been very insufiiciently cai-ed for. Nevertheless, he believes there are sufficient 

 grounds for the following propositions : — 



1. — That in tropical countries small or even the smallest Lepidoptera, both of 

 brilliant and inconspicuous species, are not less abundant than the 

 Macroptera. 



2. — That the Tortriciyia are there but poorly represented (as also is the case in 

 the South of Europe), their place being taken by Tortriciform Tineina, 

 such as Cryptolechia and Hypercallia. 



3. — That the products of the higher and highest localities have a strikingly 

 European character. 



But, on the other hand, with regard to geographical distribution, and the num- 

 ber of genei-a, species, or individuals, he holds that, iu the present state of our 

 knowledge, no conclusions are admissible. 



The memoir occupies 286 pages (there are evidently more to follow), and is 

 illustrated by two excellent coloured plates of an upper and lower wing of species 

 described. — J. W. Douglas, 8, Beaufort Gardens, Lewisham : January Zrd, 1878; 



Description of the larva of Tephrosia jmHctulata. — I received a few eggs of 

 this species, together with the parent-moth, from Mr. J. R. Wellman, of London, on 

 June 14th, 1876. They were oval, and of a dingy smoke colour. On the 25th of the 

 same month the young larvae emerged, and in colour were uniformly bright yellow. 

 They fed upon birch, and by the end of July had attained their full-growth, when I 

 took down my notes as follows : — Lengtli, about an inch, and of moderate bulk 

 in proportion ; the head has the lobes rounded, and is about the same width as, or a 

 trifle narrower than, the second segment ; body of uniform width throughout, is 

 rounded above, but a little flattened ventrally ; segmental divisions well defined, 

 and eacli segment rather numerously divided transversely into suctions, which give 

 the skin a somewhat rough appearance. 



