OBSERVATIONS ON TINEINA. 139 



Laverna Decorella. On the 26tli of August last my eyes 

 were gladdened with the sight of the galls of this species 

 formed in the stems of Epilohium, found near Haslemere by 

 that most industrious unraveller of nature's secrets, Mr. 

 Barrett, who wrote to me as follows : — " I had nearly given 

 up for a bad job the idea of finding the larva of Laverna 

 decorella, having searched various kinds of Epilohium again 

 and again, and to-day I beat out the first specimen of the 

 perfect insect from the same thatch in which they have always 

 occurred most freely, but I determined to try my luck again 

 there, and almost immediately I met with a swelling in the 

 stem of a species of Epilohium growing on the spot. The 

 plant was common there, and nearly every plant had one or 

 more of the galls, so I gathered a lot, of which I send you 

 some. Unluckily I am almost too late, for all that I ex- 

 amined contained a pupa or were empty, but I have selected 

 the youngest and most likely-looking galls for you, and hope 

 you may find a larva amongst them. I have also put in 

 some of the older galls to show you the various forms; some 

 apparently contain several pupte.'"' 



On the 31st August, Mr. Barrett wrote : — '^ I have bred 

 several Laverna decorella, the first came out on the 28th 

 inst. ;" and ten days later he wrote, *^ Laverna decorella 

 keeps coming out every day from the galls." '^ A careful 

 examination of the willow-herbs havino" galls in them, with 

 the assistance of a lady who knows something of botany, 

 satisfies me that the species are EpUohium parvijiorum, 

 montanum and palasfre. The galls have a different appear- 

 ance in each species." 



The larva when full fed eats a small hole in the exterior of 

 the gall-like swelling of the stem, and then spins a white 

 cocoon, one end of which is protruded through the hole, so 

 that by this contrivance a mode of exit is prepared for the 

 moth beforehand. 



