130 TRICHOPTERA. 



novelties, he cannot help regretting that such orders as 

 Trichoptera and Neuroptera should be so greatly neglected. 



It may be said that it is invidious to draw a comparison 

 between these orders, and that the former are far more local 

 in their habits; but granting that the individual species of 

 insects which in their earlier stages are aquatic are probably 

 less restricted in their geographical distribution than those 

 whose Jiabits are mostly terrestrial, yet experience proves that 

 the laws of distribution are very little understood : I have 

 never yet visited a new locality at any distance from home 

 where I did not obtain either new species or those that I had 

 not previously met with. My collection numbers at the 

 present time about one hundred and ten species, including 

 several undoubtedly new, but of which I can at present say 

 nothing definite. 



The past season has not been by any means prolific in 

 insect life generally, owing no doubt to the prevalence of 

 cold and damp weather. I cannot say that I noticed any 

 considerable diminution in the number of Pltryganidce, 

 nevertheless there is a meagre list of novelties. The localities 

 frequented by these insects are not, even in fine weather, 

 always the most delectable to human beings, and a wet 

 season renders the collecting them additionally unpleasant, 

 unless the collector is proof against any amount of moisture 

 both from above and below. 



Mr. Parfitt has bred a Dipterous insect* about tlie size of 

 the common house-fly, from the case of Limnepkilus mar- 

 moratus. I am not aware that the presence of Dipterous 

 parasites in Trichoptera has been noticed elsewhere. Kole- 

 nati says that they are attacked by either Diptera or Hy- 

 menopteraj but I believe that his observations have since 

 been proved to apply to the ichneumon Affriotypus armatus, 



* JJydrotachina limnephili, Walker. 



