1888.] 171 



In August Mr. Edward T. Browne, TJxbridge Lodge, Shepherd's 

 Bush, sent me several examples of this species, which he had obtained 

 in the Boyal Gardens at Kew, requesting that I would describe it if 

 new, and he added the following particulars : " Eirst found on Strobi- 

 Janthes, a Chinese plant, which has been in the Economic House three 

 years ; it may now be seen in the adjoining house on other foreign 

 plants. Winged males numerous, but hard to catch ; females very 

 abundant and easily obtained." 



8, Beaufort Gardens, Lewisham : 

 September, 1887. 



THE LARVA AND CASE OF ITHYTRICHIA LAMELLARIS, EATON, 

 WITH REFERENCES TO OTHER SPECIES OF HYDROPTILIB^. 



BY KENKETH J. MORTON. 



Another gap in our knowledge of the life-history of those minute 

 Trichoptera, the Hydroptilidce, has been filled up by the discovery of 

 the cases of lihytricliia lamellaris, Eaton, a further result of the good 

 work of Mr. Bolton. I have had the opportunity of examining cases 

 containing both larvae and nymphs, and propose to give some notes, 

 w^hich will serve for purposes of identification. The subject, however, 

 deserves much further study ; the larva, especially, possesses points 

 equalling in interest anything that I have met with amongst Tri- 

 clioptera, the form of the external respiratory apparatus being quite 

 novel for the Order, and presenting some analogy to that found in 

 the Ephemerid nymph. 



The cases are made of the usual transparent material. Those of 

 the larva have the outline oval, with a deep excision at the mouth end ; 

 towards the other end the sides come close together, the vent being 

 in the form of a slit. The appearance of the nymph case is different, 

 and it might well be held to belong to another species. But a close 

 examination reveals the original case ; the mouth end (or what was 

 formerly that) has been supplied with an elongate stopper, and the 

 other end has also been slightly produced by the addition of more 

 material. The cases are fixed to the stems, &c., of water-plants,* and, 

 as has been already hinted, the head of the nymph is turned towards 

 the broader end. 



In form, the larva departs entirely from the Hydroptilid type, 

 and instead of being obese, it is rather slender, and so transparent 

 that it is a splendid subject for miscroscopical examination, the organs 



* Myriophylhim is a favourite; at Killaruey I found attached to it cases of both ^l/i-ny/ca 

 and Oxyethira. 



P 2 



