248 THE entomologist's record. 



being too worn, than were kept, and soon we had to pick our steps as 

 the ground began to give beneath us, and we saw the pools covered 

 with the white blossoms of the water-lilies. Edging towards the wood 

 where the ground was firmer, we soon lost all but a stray C. tiplmn, but 

 swarms of Epinephele janira and Enodia Ju/perantlnoi were put up at 

 every step, the last-named particularly abundant. One of the most abun- 

 dant species here was Euiattirtia atnmaria, a fairly large and interesting 

 form; equally abundant was Enholia nienmiraria, and occasionally one 

 flushed Acidalia hnwntata in first-class condition. Occasional specimens 

 of Ariij/nnis aijlaia flew across the bog or settled on the flowers, and 

 Melitaea dictynna was not uncommon, but altogether over. The two 

 Anthroceras noticed in the wood were more abundant, and some of the 

 A. trifoUi had almost the facies of A. pahi^trii^, the lowland marsh 

 species, Avhilst the six-spotted species, which so much resembles A. 

 Jilipendulof, and may be A. steplioisi (Jiippocrfpidis, Stphs.), must have 

 the genitalia examined to make certain of the species. The A. trifnlii 

 are especially interesting, a few examples with a faint red abdominal 

 ring = ab. ruficincta, and other interesting examples, but we obtained 

 too few, and most of these in poor condition, to write really 

 critical notes thereon. Two or three Adacita statices were also 

 captured, but the species was going over. 



(To he continued). 



Notes on the Life- History of Nepticula acetosae, Stt. {in'th plate). 



By ALFEED SIGH, F.E.S. 



On August 15th, 1908, I was walking over the short turf in 

 Richmond Park, quite away from any trees, when I accidentally came 

 on a colony of Xeptictda acetosae. They wei'e in all stages from the ovum to 

 the full-grown larva, and the opportunity thus afforded of making some 

 notes on the larval habits seemed too good to be thrown away. A 

 supply of ova and larvae was gathered, and some imagines were bred 

 at the end of August. 



A second supply of ova was taken, September 7th, in the same 

 locality. It will be remembered that this species is the smallest British 

 moth, and that Mr. Shield first discovered the insect in October, 1852, 

 near Dublin. Since that time it has occurred in several places both 

 here and on the continent. We have, in Britain, two species of dock, 

 which are known by the name of sorrel, Biiinex acetusa, L., the sorrel, 

 and Ilniiie.c acetusella, L., the sheep-sorrel. They appear to be very 

 closely allied, and Xepticula acetusae attacks both species. The mines 

 in both sorrels are similar, except that very often the narrowness of 

 the leaf of 7i. acetoaella compels the larva to make the first part of the 

 mine oblong rather than circular in contour. Stainton [Nat. His. Tin., 

 i., p. 236) lays some stress on the fact that the food-plant of this 

 Nepticula is Bioiie.c acetosa, but, later, Tutt (Brit. Lep., i., p. 53) gives 

 the food-plant as B. acetosella. Both authors are right, as the larva 

 feeds in either species of sorrel, but if there be any preference in the 

 matter, then I think it lies with B. acetosa. From the great dift'erence 

 in the leaves of the larger docks, such as i?. obtnsifolius, B. sancjuineus, 

 etc., compared with those of the smaller sorrels, it seems unlikely that 

 N. acetosae would mine in them, but Stainton says (Zoc.c/i., p. 230) that 

 Wing did find mines in a leaf of dock, though he does not mention 



