DESCRiPTlON OF LEPIDOPTEROUS LARV.E. 107 



" near the bottom of the ninth and tenth segments," and this is 

 quoted by Stainton. Hawes describes them in T. lincala as being 

 between "the fourth and the last pair of prolegs," whilst Buckler 

 says that in the larva of T. thaumas " a transverse patch of white is 

 situated on the front of the ventral surface of the eleventh and twelfth 

 segments." 



The sixth and seventh abdominal segments are thus termed the 

 "tenth and eleventh" by Zeller, Stainton and Barrett, the " ninth 

 and tenth " by Duponchel and Stainton, the " eleventh and twelfth " 

 by Buckler. This is only a single illustration of what is prevalent 

 amongst almost all authors in their descriptions of lepidopterous larvae. 



.SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Food-plant of the Eriocephalides. — A statement, by Professor 

 Frey, in The Entom. Annual, 1858, reads : — "The family of the Microp- 

 TERYGiD.E, Containing the single gQwws, Microliter yx, has only eight species 

 that occur in Switzerland. The half of these, i.e., four, have been 

 noticed on the higher Alps, r/c, raltlnila, arunerlla, allioneUa and 

 anderfic/iellei, often at considerable elevation. Certainly the larvte live 

 not only in the wood of trees, but also on low bushes and hard- 

 stemmed plants." The species named belong to the genus we now 

 call Kriocepliala. It is to the suggested food-plants that I would call 

 attention.— J. W. Tutt. June, 1896. 



On the emergence of Cienonympha pamphilus. — Of a brood of 

 C. pamphilus, reared from eggs laid last spring (1895), half of the larva) 

 fed up, pupated, and attained the perfect state the following autumn; 

 the other half hybernated, Avhy, I cannot say, as they were all treated 

 alike. Those that did not feed up Avere not torpid during the winter, 

 but fed intermittently, and pupated about the 21st of May. The 

 imagines began to appear on June 9th. — S. G. C. Russell, F.E.S., 

 Woking. June, 1896. 



On a larval habit of Ccenonympha pamphilus. — The larva of 

 C. painji/iilns has a curious habit of feigning death when disturbed. 

 It does not curl up, however, but stiffens itself somewhat rigidly. — Ibid. 



Classification of the Melalophid.e. — Having communicated my 

 arrangement of the European species of this family, established by 

 me in the Si/stetna, 1895, to Dr. Dyar, the latter has looked over his 

 material, and kindly communicated to me the result. The Melahiphidae 

 are Holarctic forms, previously united with the Ptiludontidae. The 

 Synopsis is as follows : — 



Fore-wings 12 veined. Blelalophidac, Grt., 1895. 



a. Thoracic warts (upper three) of larva in line. 



1. Primitive first stage absent : PJialerhiac, Grt. 



(comprising the genera : Datcnut, Plialcra, Thaunuttopoca). 



2. Primitive first stage present : Mdnloijhiiiae, Grt. 



(comprising the genera : Mclaloplia, Pi/naevd, IcJitln/ura, Clostera). 

 The synonymy of the latter is not assured. The type of the family 

 and of the genus MelalopJia is M. curtula. 



h. Thoracic warts not in line, larva3 very hairy. Apatelodinae, N.D. 

 (comprising the genera : Apatelodeg and Pamtlnjrix). 



This latter group seems to be American. Dr. Dyar writes me that 

 the European Fi/gaera tiinon interestingly resembles Apatclodes. The 



