2 -IS [December, 



In the Stett. eut. Zuit., 1867, p. 59, McLachlan describes cases 

 made out of fragments of fern roots, which are no doubt those of O. 

 irrorata. As a matter of fact, he bred that insect from the moss 

 containing them ; but since there were two other forms of case present 

 it was not possible to say conclusively from which it emerged. 



It is uncertain whether Pictet's figures of the larva and case of 

 his Sericostoma hirtum (Recherches, pi. xiv, fig. 3) refer to C. irrorata. 

 The case is represented as a sand-grain one, but that would not be an 

 objection if, as I suspect, such cases, normally peculiar to young 

 larvae, are sometimes permanent. 



It would be interesting to know if any other genus of the 

 Sericostomatidce (or, less probably, of any other family) has cases of the 

 quadrangular type. The only other British species which might have 

 been suspected is Lasiocephala basalis, but Meyer says it makes a 

 sand one. Oligoplectrum has also a slender case of sand. Micrasema 

 remains ; the habits, which are quite unknown, might easily receive 

 elucidation at the hands of the continental entomologists. 



Bee^a pullata, Curt. 



The habits of the genus Sercea,Rs regards the perfect insects, are 

 well known. These small black caddis-flies are to be found usually in 

 abundance about shallow streams where reeds, C'altha palusiris, and 

 other water-weeds grow in such profusion that often in summer no 

 water is to be seen at all. In such places the larvae of £. pullata are 

 to ',be found, and they also occur in the channels alluded to at the 

 beginning of these notes. 



The rank character of the vegetation, and the great quantity of 

 vegetable debris which usually covers the beds of the streams Bercea 

 delights in, render the search for the small cases very difficult. The 

 best way to obtain them is to take from the bottom hauls of mud, &c., 

 which are put into a bag, and, after washing away the loose sand in 

 some convenient burn, by examining what remains one or two may be 

 found. This operation can be conducted best in the early spring, 

 when there is less vegetation to contend with. 



There is only one full-sized case before me ; it is about 10 mm. 

 long, composed of sand-grains, is strongly curved, and tapers greatly 

 to the tail end ; the mouth-end is closed by the usual button-like 

 operculum, in which there is an excentric slit. The colour is blackish. 

 This case, from which the perfect insect was reared, was buried for 

 about two-thirds of its length in sand ; but no doubt the larvae usually 

 spin up about the roots of water plants, as in Beraiodes. After most 



