1896.] 251 



This species may be distinguished from the continental form 

 known as peliella, first by its green (not brown) larva ; secondly, and 

 with the utmost certainty, by the first two spots (in the important 

 series of three) being exactly one above the other, whereas in peliella 

 these spots are placed obliquely, the discal spot being always further 

 from the base than the plical. In colour the two species are very 

 nearly alike, but peliella conforms more truly to Douglas' description 

 of the wings as "black-brown" than does suppeliella. There is 

 nothing in Douglas' description [Tr. Ent. Soc. Lond., V, 200 (1849)] 

 to indicate whether it was taken from the only British specimen known 

 to him or from continental specimens, but Stainton's descriptions 

 [Ins. Br. Tin., Ill (1854), and Nat. Hist. Tin., IX, 106-15 (1865)] 

 were undoubtedly taken from the true peliella, for he distinctly notices 

 the position of the two spots, and figures the brown larva. Treitschke's 

 original description [Schm. Eur., X (3), 198-9 (1835)], taken from 

 Dresden specimens, might leave us in some doubt as to which species 

 he had before him were it not that Duponchel's original figure painted 

 by J. Delarue, clearly indicating the oblique position of these spots, 

 was taken from specimens received from Dresden through Fischer 

 von Eoslerstamm, who was in direct communication with von Tischer, 

 the collector, and Treitschke, the original describer of peliella. 



The confusion has evidently arisen from the fact that two closely 

 allied species, although differing in both larval and perfect stages, are 

 now known to feed precisely in the same manner on the same plant. 



Merton Hall : October lUh, 1896. 



ECONOMIC SPECIMENS IN THE INSECT G-ALLERY OP THE 

 NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, SOUTH KENSINGTON. 



BY C. O. WATERHOUSE, F.E.S. 



A few years ago Dr. Giinther, when Keeper of the Zoological 

 Department, suggested the formation of a series of models, illustrating 

 the habits of insects and mites, and particularly the different kinds of 

 galls formed by them. This work he entrusted to me to a great 

 extent, and the formation of this collection, now known as the 

 Economic Series, has given me much pleasure, and has been, I believe, 

 found very useful. I have had to bear two things in mind ; firstly, 

 that the general public want to see something agreeable to the eye ; 

 and, secondly, that the object must at the same time show some 

 peculiarity in insect economy. Our object is the advancement of 

 science, and the specimens are not an exhibition of agricultural pests, 



