126 LEPIDOPTERA. 



" The larva mines the young leaves of oak ; there is no 

 trace of the commencement of the mine, nor of the egg ; but 

 at this time the larva was full-grown, and the lobe of the leaf 

 completely cleared out for about half an inch from the tip, 

 the larva continuing to eat the parenchyma, its head towards 

 the base of the leaf. By beginning at the point furthest off, 

 and eating towards the stem, the larva always secures the 

 freshest food. The mined part becomes whitey-brown. The 

 excrement is in black threads, which soon become broken 

 into short bits, and is scattered throughout the mine." 



MicrojUerijx Allionella? On the 27th of June Mr. 

 Wilkinson met with a Micropteryx larva on birch, wdiich 

 he suspected might be Allionella; afterwards he became 

 convinced they must be Allionella, as they occurred where- 

 ever he had met with that insect. 



This larva 1 have described as follows : — 



No. 35. Whitish, with greyish-green dorsal vessel ; head 

 whitish, with brownish spots on each side, and reddish-brown 

 mouth ; the three posterior segments have a reddish tinge ; 

 on the fifth segment is a slight lateral protuberance. 



The young larva has a brown-black plate on the second 

 segment. 



The mine is at first Nepticuliform, the brown excrement 

 completely filling the track; then it forms a complete blotch, 

 with black linear excrement. 



From the foregoing statements it will be seen how vast a 

 step has been taken in working out the larvae of the genus 

 Micropteryx ; it is to be regretted that none of the smaller 

 species (Calthella, Sep'pellaj Aruncella and Mansuetella) 

 have yet been detected in the larva state. 



Mr. Scott has recorded the observation (Int. x. p. 3), that, 

 " some six years ago, he found a mine in the leaf of Caltha 

 jmlustris, which he then considered to be that of M. Cal- 



