90 [September, 



A. sparticlla, that I am inclined to refer the diiJerence in size and colour to the more 

 succulent properties of the food-plant, just as Bt;pressaria costosa is more deeply 

 marked with reddish under the same conditions. It is, however, •worthy of note 

 that genist(e was feeding, June 8th ; spartiella, July 5th. The larvffi were not com- 

 pared in any way, nor indeed examined with the care due to them. 



On the same day, at the same place, Plutella annulatella, in the larval state, 

 was common on Cochlearia anglica ; they emerged in the middle of July. 



At the latter end of May, whilst collecting larvae of Coleophorce on the willows 

 at Farrington, my attention was directed to the twisted condition of the shoots of 

 Lotus cnrniculatus on the railway bank close by. Thinking this was owing to larvse 

 of SciaphilcB, I neglected to gather many at the time, but afterwards, looking in the 

 tin in which they were placed, I perceived a Gelechia larva, belonging to the 

 tceniolella group, but darker in colour. In the latter end of June one imago of a 

 Gelechia unknown to me appeared above the rubbish, and, on reference to Mr. 

 Stainton, he pronounced it to be probably cincticulella, a species which feeds on the 

 continent on Genista, but had not previously occurred in this country. I visited the 

 locality this year, but only obtained one larva, which unfortunately died. 



Larvae of Coleophora Wilkinsnni begin to feed on birch at Witherslack about 

 the beginning of July, and continue to do so, at intervals only, until September, 

 when they hibernate full fed, and, if brought into the house early in the spring, will 

 walk about as if seeking for food. This, however, they refuse, but change into 

 pupae, and emerge about the end of June. They are probably two-year feeders, as 

 full-fed larvae are to be seen whilst the moth is flying. They are thus very similar in 

 habit to limosipennella, which, with us, never emerges in autumn, but feeds on 

 through the summer, hibernates, and emerges a little later in the year than 

 Wilkinsoni. It also feeds on birch. 



After very patient and repeated search, at length larvae of Depressaria capreo- 

 lella were discovered feeding on leaves of Pimpinella saxifraga, not on the radical 

 leaves, however, but on the higher shoots. They are deep green with black heads, 

 and, through the plant being bui'ied amongst larger herbage, are very difficult to 

 find. A few perfect insects emerged eai-ly in August. The larvae feed during July. 



In July, 1877 and 1878, I had the pleasure of finding cones of Gracilaria 

 populetorum on birch. At the former date one insect was bred from a miscellaneous 

 collection of buds, mined leaves, &c., but this year, by observing the different modes 

 of feeding adopted by the larvae on the birches, I succeeded in taking about three 

 dozen cones, which occupy an entire leaf, and inside which a green, semi-transparent 

 larva was feeding. These changed to very long, taper, light green pupa;, from which 

 emerged, in all, only five imagos, and about twenty large ichneumons. This accounts 

 for the comparative rarity of the insect. 



Some years ago, Mr. Hodgkinson bred a few Asychna profugella from seeds of 

 gentian, and, as he had afterwards failed in another attempt, I tried, in addition, 

 other seeds, such as Pimpinella saxifraga, wild carrot, &c. On the 29th September 

 these were placed in a flower pot and exposed all the winter, when, to my great 

 satisfaction, between July 1st and 30th, about two dozen imagos appeared, in 

 company with Semasia rufillana, CE.flavimaculella, a.nd the pug, Eupithecia denotata. 

 —J. H. Threlfall, 4, East Cliff, Preston : August lith, 1878. 



