NOTES ON COLLECTING, ETC. 33 



Mr. Meyrick has attempted a new subdivision based on the neuration. 

 One or two of his alterations are satisfactory, especially his use of 

 Trichoptilus, Wlsm., and his new genus Marasmarcha. His alterations 

 in nomenclature are absolutely useless and unnecessary, as there was no 

 question in any one's mind about the use of the existent names, and his 

 whole system, based as it is on one variant feature of the imago, viz., 

 neuration, is as valueless for stable characters for classification, as was 

 the original classification of all moths by Linnaeus by the antennae. No 

 one character is of use alone, and no characters based on the imagines 

 alone, without a most intimate knowledge of the earlier stages, will ever 

 give us a stable and natural system of classification. The Wallengren 

 arrangement, with but slight modifications, will be used in the table that 

 follows these preliminary notes. The structure of the wings of the 

 species is variable. Those of Chrysocorys and Agdistis are uncleft. The 

 wings of Alucita hexadacfyla are each divided into six plumules, whilst 

 in all the other genera, the fore-wings are divided into two lobes, the 

 hind wings into three plumules. The rarest species are Oxyptilus 

 hieracii and Pselnophonis brac/iydactylus, their right to be considered as 

 British species having frequently been questioned. C?icBmidophoriis 

 rhododactylus has been almost exterminated by thoughtless collectors in 

 its old haunts at Chattenden, whilst Platyptilia isodactylus has recently 

 been bred in some numbers by Mr. Eustace Bankes, after having been 

 very rare for many years. The two broods of P. gonodadyla feed differ- 

 ently, the spring brood in the flower stalks of Tussilago farfara, and 

 the second on the leaves of the same plant. The close brotherhood of 

 Aiiddyptilia acayiihodactyla and puuctidactyla is very remarkable, espe- 

 cially their similar habits, etc. Oxyptilus distans and O. Icetiis are now 

 recognised as seasonably dimorphic forms of the same species ; O. 

 piloselia;, after many years' absence, has recently been taken near Dover 

 by Mr. Sydney Webb. It is also very strange that our O. heierodadyla 

 [teucrii) is not known on the Continent. Do the Continental lepidop- 

 terists (at any rate in part) call this species hieracii ? The capture of 

 Trichopiiliis paluduni in Yorksliire in 1891 is rather remarkable. Can 

 this possibly be the allied siceliota ? A species of Platyptilia has recently 

 occurred on ragwort in Aberdeenshire and in Cumberland, closely 

 allied to P. pallidactyla. Will it turn out to be this latter species, or is 

 it something new to science ? A small form of P. monodactyla, as was 

 supposed by Mr. C. G. Barrett, was taken by me on Wicken Fen this 

 year in July. In superficial appearance it is more like Leioplilus, and 

 its specific identity is open to question. These and many other puzzles 

 have yet to be worked out by those who are attracted to study this 

 interesting family. The larvae of the " plumes " are generally hairy, and 

 their methods of feeding very diverse, sometimes boring into the stems 

 of plants, sometimes enclosing themselves in flowers, and sometimes 

 feeding on leaves. The pupae are also generally hairy, and attached by 

 their anal segments, or otherwise spin a slight web in which to pupate. 

 Many of the imagines hybernate, and of other of our species it is un- 

 certain in what stage they pass the winter. The following table may be 

 of service to those who have not previously worked at the " plumes." 

 It gives some of the most important particulars relating to the insects 

 in their various stages. The Roman numerals relate to the months of 

 the year : — 



C 



