24G [*i«-"' 



and narrow — the upper part contains the frass and is rather the moat 

 capacious, in consequence of the removal, to some extent, of the woody 

 tissue, while the lower part occupies little more than the pith-canal. 

 The whole length of the mine has never exceeded, and rarely reached, 

 an inch in any of the numerous specimens I have examined. It is 

 impossible not to be struck with the smallness of these dimensions, and 

 their apparent incapacity for supplying material enough to build up 

 an insect of this size, so that I am inclined to think that the larva 

 derives a considerable part of its nourishment directly from the sap, 

 which it probably licks up from the walls of its tunnel. And confirma- 

 tion is given to this view by the character of the frass, which is small, 

 irregular, and excrementitious-looking, instead of being large and 

 well-formed, as would be the case, did a large part of the food consist 

 of indigestible material. I have no information when the larva hatches, 

 but as the galls are found fully developed in the middle of August 

 (Aug. 19th), this event probably takes place some time in July. It 

 continues to feed up to the end of September, and in October lines the 

 upper part of its dwelling with a close coating of silk, cutting it off 

 from the part below by an open fragile diaphragm of the same material. 

 Within the chamber so formed it remains unchanged through the 

 winter, and goes into j)upa in the spring, the case being completely 

 extruded, -and dropping to the ground on the emergence of the moth. 

 So far as my experience goes, it is but little subject to parasites of any 

 kind, but a large number, in the course of the winter when food is 

 scarce, fall victims to the tom-tits, who appear to have discovered what 

 a savoury morsel the swelling hides, and by means of their strong little 

 beaks succeed in getting possession of it. 



The larva is cylindrical, moderately stout, tapering slightly from 

 the 10th segment, and with large prominent dark spots, from each of 

 which springs a small white hair. Head rather small, narrower than 

 the following segment, jet black and shining. Thoracic plate black 

 and shining, but less so than the head, and divided down the middle by 

 a pale line. Legs and anal plate dark grey. Colour very pale grey, 

 but changes, during hibernation, to white with a tinge of yellow. The 

 dorsal vessel, in some specimens, partially visible as a red line. The 

 spots are grey and conspicuous — the anterior trapezoidals roundish- 

 oval in shape, the posterior ones, oval. The row of large somewhat 

 conical spots in the spiracular region are notched on the lower side for 

 reception of the spiracles. These are round and black, and surrounded 

 by a pale ring. 



Tarrington, Ledbury : 



14 fh February, 1884. 



