NOTES ON THE GENUS COLEOPHORA. 281 



Notes on the various species of the genus Coleophora. ( fry7/t idate.) 



By H, J. TUENEK, F.E.S. 

 Coleophora ochrea. 



Through the kindness of Mr. E. Bankes, of Corfe Castle, I first 

 came to know this local species in the larval stage. On May 12th, 

 1904, I received a few cases containing living larvfe, taken by him in 

 the Isle of Purbeck. In his covering letter he stated that he had 

 known of this colony for some years, but that he had been unable to 

 get more larvas than he was forwarding in spite of a long search. He 

 stated that Heliantheimim vid(/are, upon which the larvae feed is, in this 

 place, in a very exposed situation. The cases sent were at this date 

 small, and appeared very similar to those of C. f/enistae, although not 

 so variegated m colour. The winter case persists and forms the anal 

 portion of the enlarged case, and of course is less in calibre. The 

 spring addition to the case is made from the cuticle of a leaflet, and is 

 not attached quite symmetrically to the first case, hence the tube 

 appears outwardly to be not quite a straight one, but still the two 

 portions are more in line apparently than in the case of C. (jenistae. 

 The colour of the case is somewhat dark, consisting of shades of green 

 and straw colour, becoming with age more uniform. In order to 

 satisfy the larvte of this species one should have growing plants to go 

 to, as they are particularly prone to wander, and if the foodplant be 

 not absolutely fresh will come out of their cases, refuse food and die. 

 From May 14th to May 17th two of the above larvc'e were quiescent in 

 a fixed position, apparently for change of skin, as on the latter date 

 they began to feed again. 



On June 10th, Mr. Bankes again visited the Purbeck locality for 

 this species and found the larva more plentiful, although by no means 

 as common as in previous years. Some two dozen larvaj reached me 

 on June 18th, most of them being nearly full grown. The following 

 is a description of one of these in its last skin. 



"Head paler than rest of body. Thoracic segments paler than 

 abdominal segments, but not so pale as the head. The black spiracu- 

 lar plates on the three thoracic segments of moderate size. The dorsal 

 plate on the first segment divided into six irregularly shaped portions 

 by somewhat wide sutures between them. Two of these lie on each 

 side of the middle line (suture), and one outside on each side nearly in 

 line with the two anterior portions. Segment 2 has two largish black 

 plates. Segment 3 has two smaller ones. The dorsal suture in both 

 segments is wide. The width of this dorsal suture is the smallest in 

 segment 1 and the widest in segment 3. The anal plate is only very 

 slightly darkened. All these plates are not strongly defined at their 

 edges, there is a tendency for them all to pale outwardly and to shade 

 into the general colour of the body. The general body colour is a rich 

 dark brown with lighter shades." 



It was a difficulty for me to get food plant and the larvae did badly, 

 and although they enlarged their cases again, by June 30th most of 

 them had come out of their cases, often dismembering them, and died. 



I did not meet with this species in the larval stage again until June 

 23rd, 1907, when in company with Mr. J. Ovenden, of Strood, I spent 

 a most pleasant day at Cuxton and visited the spot, where some years 



December 16th, 1912. 



