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CHAPTER III. 



Papers contributed by Dr. Clemens to the Entomo- 

 logical Society of Philadelphia. 



[Extracted from the Proceedings of the Entomological Society 

 of Philadelphia, Vol. I. pp. 75—87, November, 1861.] 



MICRO-LEPIDOPTEROUS LARVAE. 



Notes on a few Species, the Imagos of which are probably unclescribed. 



BY BRACKENRIDGE CLEMENS, M.D. 



I PROPOSE to describe in the following paper, the mines and 

 larvae of a few of our American leaf-miners, to indicate their 

 food plants and the months in which they should be sought 

 for by the collector. The observations are taken from my 

 notes, and refer to larvas I have not been successful in rearing, 

 or to those I have noticed out of season. 



In general, it may be said, the mines of the leaf-miners 

 are characteristic of the genus to which the larva may belong. 

 A single mine, once identified, enables the collector to pro- 

 nounce on the genus of all the species he may find thereafter. 

 This added to the ease with which the larva? are collected, 

 and the little subsequent care required to bring them to 

 maturity, except to keep the leaves in a fresh and healthy 

 state, makes the study of this group in every respect pleasant 

 and satisfactory to the Entomologist. 



I feel confident that many of our intelligent and pains- 

 taking collectors would engage in the study with enthusiasm 

 if once placed safely on the way. I can see no surer course 

 than commencing with the larva, assuring the student that in 

 such a month, on the leaf of a certain tree, he may find the 

 larva of a certain " micro." The search for those indicated 

 in the present paper can scarcely fail to result in the discovery 

 of many other leaf-miners not alluded to here, and these will 



M 



