THE BASKET CATERPILLAR AND BAGWORM. 123 



disturbed, is full of a yelloAvish silky fluff, but the larvre had evidently 

 emerged. The Argentine " Basket Caterpillar," therefore, differs from 

 the United States " Bagworm," inasmuch as the former most cer- 

 tainly hatches in the autumn. Perhaps the difference in latitude 

 would account for it. 



As I have before pointed out, the extended male genitalia are 

 shown much enlarged in Fig. 2 h, whilst Fig. 2 <■ gives a view of the 

 organs from beloAV, Fig. 2 d the same from above, Fig. 2 c — j 

 showing further details enlarged. 



We are indebted to Prof. Smith for the blocks which illustrate 

 this article. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are, however, made from the late Prof. 

 Riley's original drawings. 



Mesogona acetosellae : a Noctuid new to the British List. 



By J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 



During last October, whilst sugaring in his garden at Arlington, 

 Sussex, Mr. T. Salvage is reported to have taken a specimen of 

 Mesoj/ona acetosellae, a species new to the British list. The speci- 

 men was exhibited at the last meeting of the South London 

 Entomological Society, by Mr. R. Adkin, and there can be no 

 doubt that it is quite distinct from any hitherto known British species. 

 It was recognised at once by Mr. C. G. Barrett as Me.soi/diia acetof<ellae, 

 Fab. {Mant., 177), a species which has a wide range in Europe, 

 occurring according to Staudinger in " Germany, Switzerland, South 

 France, Northern Italy, Hungary, Dalmatia and Southern Russia." 



There is no reason whatever then, so far as its distibution is con- 

 cerned, why the insect should not occur in our southern counties, 

 but in spite of its wide distribution it is a somewhat local species, and 

 one is quite unable to suggest that it is a migrant, but prefers to think 

 that, like Ikisijcainpa nihii/inca, (Ji-rhodia eri/throccji/iala, and a few 

 other species, it has a permanent home with us, but is rare, owing to 

 our being at the extreme north-Avest limit of its distribution. If this be 

 so, the species should occur again, and probably is now to be found in 

 southern collections under another name, having been passed by un- 

 recognised. The species (according to Mr. Salvage's example) has 

 the general appearance of a large specimen of Tacniocampa .stabilis (it 

 is as large an insect as Xoctua haia), being of a fulvous grey tint with 

 distinct stigmata, basal line and angulated line, all these being 

 rendered more conspicuous by the possession of a bright ochreous out- 

 line or margin ; the hind-wings are tinged on the outer margin with 

 pink. My own impression of the species is that it is more closely 

 relaited to Xanthia ocellaris than to any other British species, although 

 Staudinger makes it follow Pachnabia, and to be almost immediately 

 followed by Diri/da. As is well known, however, Staudinger's 

 arrangement means nothing. There is a named variety of the species 

 c-al\eAereniiriila, Kinderm., which comes from the Altai, and is diagnosed 

 by Staudinger as " obsoletior, alls anticis strigis transversis totis 

 nigris." 



Guen^e writes of this species : " Expanse of wing 40 mm. The 

 fore-wings entire, rounded, of a fleshy-ochreous titit, powdered 

 with fine black atoms ; the two median lines paler and edged with 

 blackish on the sides facing each other, the enclosed space between 



