affecting tlie Clover-crops and I'astu re-lands. 55 



having a large, and the shanks a small ochreous spot on each ; 

 and eventually the beetle became black and hard. 



Experience shows that the bush-vetch ( Vicia sepuirri) is difficult 

 to cultivate on a large scale, the seeds being generally devoured 

 by the larvae of a species of Apion (probably A. punctiger, the 

 A. punctifrons of Kirby), said to resort to this vetch only, which 

 larva? are again the prey of a species of minute ichneumon. 

 Apion subsulcatum also inhabits the same plant. 



Vicia sepium likewise affords nourishment to a minute cater- 

 pillar, which mines and feeds on the pulp of the leaves. It is 

 the offspring of a beautiful little moth included in the FAMILY 

 TlNElD^E, and forms one of the members of a rather numerous 

 group or GENUS which is recognised by modern authors as LiTHO 

 COLLETIS, and has been described by Zeller as 



12. L. Bremiella. 



"The head is fuscous, face and palpi silvery; antennas fuscous, the tip 

 whitish in certain lights ; anterior wings rather dark saffron, with a short, 

 straight basal streak about a third of the length of the wing, dark, margined 

 on botli sides ; in the middle is an angulated silvery-Avhite fascia, margined 

 with black internally, and with a few black scales on its outer margin ; be- 

 yond are three small silvery-white streaks on the costa (the third sometimes 

 wanting) ; they are internally margined with black. Intermediate between 

 these are two larger triangular silvery-white spots on the inner margin, dark- 

 margined on both sides ; on the apex of the wing lies a rather small oval 

 black spot ; hinder marginal line dark fuscous ; cilia beyond pale grey. Pos- 

 terior wings grey, with paler cilia." 



Expanse of the wings 3^-4? lines. ''^ The larva mines the 

 leaves of various species of Vicia. Mr, Stainton found them, 

 the end of September, by the side of a wood. The leaves at that 

 time contained full-grown larvae and pupae in some abundance. 

 The moth appeared a few days after. There are evidently two 

 broods in a 3'ear : the caterpillars of one feeding in July, those 

 of the other in September. Some of the latter become moths in 

 October, whilst others remain in the cluysalis state until the 

 following spring. 1 am indebted to Mr. J. VY. Douglas for the 

 following additional observations relative to the singular economy 

 of this little insect : — 



" I have enclosed a few leaves of Vicia sepium, in which the pupas were, to 

 show the bladder-like effect produced by the feeding of the larva?. The two 

 skins are quite separated. We do not find these larva; on every plant, but, 

 where the}^ do occur, every leaflet on a stem is frequently tenanted. It has 

 been remarked, in Germany, that this species is found on the Vicia only when 

 it grows at the margin of woods, and our experience in this country hitherto 

 agrees with this." 



Mr. Douglas has also kindly communicated to me notices of 

 the following species of some allied minute moths whose economy 



* Stainton, Entomologists' Annual, 1856. 



