1900.] 81 



among adjacent rubbish. When young the larva is of a yellowish 

 auiber-brown, but before leaving the mine it becomes bright red, 

 which colour it retains to the time of pupation. It differs from 

 Aristotelia atrella, Hw., in that it forms no substantial case or cocoon 

 like that species, moreover the larva of atrella causes the whole stem 

 in which it lives to become wilted and withered, while that of moiylio- 

 chroma withers only the terminal portion of the shoot. 



I first met with this larva at Cannes in April, 1881, and sent a 

 specimen of the imago to the late Mr. Stainton, who wrote : — 



" The insect you have sent me (for which many thanks) seems to be GeJechia 

 senectella. I had never seen a bred specimen before, and caught specimens are 

 never as fine as one could wish. Your specimen has a spot on the costa near the 

 base which I do not see in any of my caught specimens — still I have no reason to 

 doubt its being the same species. We had previously no clue to its habits." [Stn. 

 i. I., 5, VII. 1881.] 



Eight years later Mr. Stainton wrote : — 



" Among some insects I have to determine for M. Constant, I find a Gelechia, 

 which seems to me precisely identical with one I received from you in July 1881. 

 You then wrote : ' I send you herewith a single specimen of a Gelechia bred from 

 a larva having exactly the same habits as those of Gelechia atrella, but failing to 

 make tlie same ' spectacle-case ' cocoon. Do you know the species ? Pray keep it.' 

 I assumed your specimen was from a British larva — but now I feel doubtful, 

 especially as your letter, which was otherwise full of notices of South of France 

 insects, nowhere mentions the birth-place of the new Hypericum feeder. The sight 

 of M. Constant's specimen first raised my doubts as to your insect beng British. 

 At the time I referred your specimen to senectella, though mentioning it was not in 

 perfect accordance with my previous caught specimens. I am now disposed to 

 wonder liow I could ever have thought it senectella. M. Constant's specimen was 

 not bred, so it will be news to him to hear of its habits. For eight years your 

 insect has stood in my British collection — now it has probably to be removed as an 

 impostor and relegated to the European collection." [Stn. i. I., 3, VI. 1889.] 



The specimen referred to in these two letters is now in the 

 British Museum, and is labelled " e. 1. Hypericum, South France. 

 Lord Walsingham, 5.7.81." On a label beneath is the following 

 note : — " This specimen stood in my British collection eiffht years as a 

 bred senectella. 10.6.89." 



I have frequently searched for the larva since 1881, but the food- 

 plant is not common at Cannes ; I, however, met with it again in 

 1892, and bred two specimens. In 1893 I bred a single specimen 

 from larvae found in the neighbourhood of Eome. 



Merton Hall, Thetford : 



February, 1900. 



