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INVESTIGATIONS ON SCIAPHILA 

 WAHLBOMIANA, L., AND THE ALLIED 

 SPECIES. 



By Dr. Ottmar Hofmann. 



[Translated from the Stettin. Entomol. Zeitung-, 1872, pp. 433—446.] 

 For systematic Entomologists, as well as for observers of the 

 natural history of insects, the genus Sciaphila seems to'be 

 a constant source of annoyance. The former are perplexed 

 when attempting to characterize the different species, by the 

 unusual variation amongst the individual specimens in the 

 form of the wings, size, markings and colour ; and the latter 

 are hardly less confused by the polyphagous habits of the 

 larva3 of this genus, which have a more extensive range of 

 food than we find in any other Tortrix-lvivwdd', and many an 

 industrious larva-collector, who has found on some scarce 

 plant larvje, either mining or in spun-up leaves, and care- 

 fully tended them in hopes of rearing from them some 

 peculiar imago, lias been bitterly undeceived by the eventual 

 exclusion of some common Sciaphila, especially since, even 

 then, he is at a loss whether he should call the creature 

 Wahlbomiana, communana^ mitioraria, virgaureana, in- 

 certana, &c., because any one of these descriptions would 

 seem about equally suitable for it. 



Such vexation has often been my lot formerly, and hence 

 in my collection has gradually been accumulated rich mate- 

 rial of SciaphilcE from all possible food-plants and localities, 

 which I have several times, but hitherto always in vain. 



