228 r March, 



Blastohasis coccivorella, Chambers, n. sp. (Fam. Tineidce). 



Tlie larvae feed inside the scales of an undescribed Kennes, allied to K.palHdus, 

 E^aum. Many specimens of the Kermes were found on oak at Cedar Keys, Fla., 

 and on March 15th, the larvee of the moth commenced to pupate. A round hole 

 ■was first cut through the scale, which had hitherto been intact, and a comparatively 

 compact cocoon was spun outside, attached to the edges of the hole. Moths 

 appeared on the Ist and 10th April. 



Euclemensia SassettelJa, Clemens (Fam. Tineidce). 



From the large gall-like Kermes found on oak at Cedar Keys was also bred a 

 beautiful greenish-black moth, with its fore-wings marked with reddish-orange. 

 This was first described by Clemens (Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil., ii, p. 423),* under the 

 name of Hamadryas Bassettella, after Mr. Bassett, in Connecticut, who had stated 

 that he had bred it from a gall ; but Prof. Riley pointed out that the supposed oak- 

 gall was really a Coccid. 



I wonder i£ there are not more instances in which " galls" have 

 been reported to have yielded Lepidoptera, and these have really been 

 produced from the shells o£ Coccid s, often so like true galls that in 

 France they are called " Oallinsectes.'" Collectors will, perhaps, 

 make a note. 



In " Nature," December 30th, 1886, p. 215, is a notice of the 

 papers read at the meeting of the Linnean Society of New South 

 "Wales, on October 27th previous, as follows : — 



"Descriptions of new Lejndoptera, by E. Meyrick, B.A., F.E.S. In this 

 paper descriptions are given of sixteen new species of Australian Lepidoptera, 

 belonging to fourteen genera, of which six are new. Among them is Thalpochares 

 coccophaga, of which, at the December meeting, Mr. Masters exhibited specimens of 

 both moths and larvse, and called attention to the singular habits of the latter, 

 •which feed on a species of Coccus infesting a Macrosamia, living concealed in a 

 cocoon-like shelter, formed of the exuviee of the Coccus, and finally pupating 

 therein." 



It thus appears that in Europe, N. America, and Australia, there 

 are Lepidoptera of different Families, whose larvse are exclusively 

 coccophagous, and it cannot be doubted that more are yet unknown. 

 In other regions where Coccidce abound, there is also a wide field for 

 investigation : possibly resulting in the discovery of new species, or 

 the identification of the larvse of some already known only in the 

 perfect state. Whether or not man may be able to utilize the 

 devourers of Coccids to his purpose remains to be tried ; the idea 

 seems feasible. 



8, Beaufort Gardens, Lewisham : 

 November 26th, 1887. 



* Soe also " The Tineina of North America, by Dr. B. Clemens, with Notes by the Editor 

 II. T. Stainton." London, 1S72.— J. W. D. 



