86 TIIK ENTOM()I.O(;1ST's HKCOHI'. 



The femora are very swollen. In addition to the lateral teeth of 

 the petiole, this segment bears a small sharp tooth beneath. The 

 pnstpetiole bears on each side behind a small tubercle carrying a short 

 stiff hair. 



1 ^ , South America (Dr. Swale). 



Type W.C.C. coll. 



Observations on the Family Coleophorides. 



By ALFBED felCH, F.E.S. 

 {Continued from foL xxxiii., jnige 133.) 



In the last observations I described some of the different forms 

 that occur in the ova of this family. Here the period of time spent 

 in the oval stage can have no influence on the form of the ovum 

 because all the species mentioned lie in the ovum for the same period. 

 This is curtailed or extended by the degree of warmth existing in the 

 atmosphere during the time and ranges in my experience from ten 

 days to three weeks. I believe these periods will stand good for all 

 Coleophorids under normal conditions. As' a rule in England the eggs 

 of the early flying species are laid in May and those of late ones, 

 mostly seed-feeders, in September, but the great majority of species 

 being on the wing in July will oviposit in that or in the following 

 month. The rule will I think hold good for central Europe but not 

 for the south. On the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, the great home 

 of the Coleophorids, much of the vegetation is dried up in July and 

 the moths probably lay their eggs earlier in the year. Although the 

 ova exhibit so great a variety of form the larvfe that hatch out of them 

 are in all particulars except one very similar. In 1904, I called 

 attention to the fact that certain larvfe of this genus have lost the 

 fourth pair of ventral prolegs [Proceed. South Land. E. and N.H. Soc, 

 1904-5, p. 9). In this respect these particular larvae resemble those 

 of the genera, GrociUo ia, Litlwcolletis and one or two others. 



Since February, 1904, some thirty additional species of this genus 

 have been examined. I believe the presence or absence of ventral pro- 

 legs is not a factor of great phylogenetic significance. To most 

 Lepidopterous larvfe they are a convenience, but to some they are not 

 useful or necessary in early life and they then appear only at a later 

 stage. In the Coleophorids, as far as I have observed, the newly 

 hatched larva is already provided with these processes, The Coleo- 

 phorid larva possesses three pairs of well developed true legs, and 

 though in freedom not a very active caterpillar, it has to move about 

 its foodplant and it does so by means of these true legs only. The 

 newly hatched larva of fuscedinella uses its true legs onl}- when atter 

 leaving the egg shell it seeks a convenient spot at which to commence 

 its mine. It is then unemcumbered by any case. In crawling it 

 arches its body upwards dragging the extremity behind, not throwing 

 it aloft as do some newly hatched Psychids. The larvre when taken 

 out of their cases and placed on a flat surface progress in the same 

 manner. So highly is the centre of the body arched that an inequality 

 in the surface or a breath of air may overturn the larva. It soon, 

 however, rights itself, but it retains the curved position even when 

 lying on its side. The only exception that I am aware of is the larva 

 of oruatipemiella. In the first three stages of larval existence, ihis, 



