1S79.] 247 



NOTES ON BRITISH TORTRICES. 



BY C. G. BAREETT. 



{Continued from page 149). 



Spilonota roscscolana, Dbld. There is special interest attacting 

 to this species on account of its being either very scarce or not re- 

 cognised on the continent. In Dr. Wocke's list it is only included 

 with a query as to whether it is a variety o£ siiffusana, and Prof, 

 Zeller only recognised its distinctness on receiving a series from me 

 a few years ago. In this country it has been known for nearly thirty 

 years — having been described by Mr. Doubleday in 1850 — but I think 

 that no information respecting its larva has ever been published, and 

 the only note on its earlier stages that has reached me is an observation 

 by my friend, Mr. Machin : " larva feeding in June in shoots of rose." 



Therefore, I was gratified at finding, in the summer of 1876, that 

 the moth was rather common in a small hedge of sweet-briar in the 

 garden, and appeared to be so especially attached to the sweet-briar 

 that the neighbouring roses hardly furnished a specimen. It was 

 sluggish and difficult to disturb in the day-time, but more lively 

 towards dusk, and flying actively after dark. Early in the succeeding 

 summer I found larvae feeding in the young shoots of the sweet-briar, 

 of which the following is a description : — 



Thick, fat, rather wrinkled, somewhat cylindrical, but tapering at 

 each extremity. Head brown, dorsal plate black, anal plate brown, 

 body having the whole dorsal surface purplish-brown down to the 

 spiracles, but the ventral surface whitish, thus leaving a curious re- 

 semblance to an infant Cossus larva. Yery sluggish, living in the 

 young growing shoots of sweet-briar {Rosa ruhiginosd), drawing to- 

 gether the leaves and eating out the heart, often box*ing down into the 

 shoot if it is succulent, but moving readily to a fresh shoot, and 

 leaving it when full grown to assume the pupa state among rubbish. 

 Feeding through May and until the middle of June. Pupa light 

 brown. Imago emerging from June 29th to the end of July. Feeding 

 also — but less commonly — on other roses, both wild and cultivated. 



Por comparison, it may be interesting to give descriptions of the 

 larvae of the allied species, all of which have been noticed before. 



Spilonota rohorana, Tr. Larva very short and obese, tapering 

 almost from the middle to the extremities. Head small, light brown, 

 dorsal plate black, anal plate very small, black also, body entirely 

 shining brown or liver-coloured, semi-transparent, with the intestinal 

 canal visible. Very sluggish, living in young shoots of Eosa canina. 



