isro. 175 



of a species of Carex. I find in my Diary, that as the males emerged 

 I did not seem to recognise them, as they are only entered Elachista 

 (withont any specific name) ; but when the female made its appear- 

 ance, I seem to have jumped to the conclusion that I recognised it, as 

 I entered it at once as Elachisfa lLiImuneIIa,nnd thenceforth it would 

 appear that I had too hastily assumed that the males were also Kil- 

 munella, though differing somewhat from my caught specimens, as 

 perhaps was to be expected in bred specimens. 



But much mischief arose from this mistake, for the very next 

 description I wrote of Kilmunella, I modified it in accordance with 

 my bred specimens. 



In 1858 appeared in the "Transactions of the Entomological 

 Society of London," vol. iv, new series, my " Synopsis of the genus 

 MacMsta^'' and there, at p. 301, is the following description of 'Elachista 

 KihmmeUa : 



" Most nearly allied to the preceding [^. atricomella], but distinguished by the 

 " duller, blunter anterior wings, the fascia being often obsolete towards the costa, 

 " and the opposite spots duller and more nearly opposite. Airce is a blacker insect, 

 " and the fascia is altogether more indistinct. 



" Expansion of the wings, 4i — 5 lines. Head dark grey : anterior wings dingy 

 " dark grey, with a nearly straight whitish fascia before the middle, frequently obso- 

 " lete towai'ds the costa, and two opposite whitish spots towards the hind margin, 

 " that on the costa being rather posterior. 



"In the female, frequently the basal portion of the wing is suffused with 

 " whitish, especially along the inner margin. 



" The larva, which is yellowish-grey, mines the leaves of a Carex in April and 

 "July. 



" The perfect insect appears in June and August, and occui-s in various parts of 

 " Scotland, and iu Lancashire." 



It is evident in the above description, that the tendency of the 

 first fascia to be obsolete toivards the costa is something quite novel, 

 which we seek in vain in the earlier description ; moreover, more stress 

 is laid upon t}ie posterior position of tlie costal sjiot than had hitherto 

 been done. 



It may seem a self-condemnatory opinion, but the description reads 

 to me as if that of Kilmunella had been carefully adjusted to fit 

 the newly bred specimens, which perhaps, after all, may turn out to 

 have been a totally distinct species. 



Unfortunately, when I supplied von Heinemann with specimens 

 as Kilmunella, it is very probable I sent him some of my hred speci- 

 mens, and if these were not the veritable Kilmunella, it would tend 

 to increase the confusion. 



