THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 39 



Formby Moss, where I knew this plant grew in profusion on 

 one ride (though it does not appear in the 'Liverpool Flora,' 

 recently issued) : here T examined every flower of the 

 Knautia without seeing a pug larva upon them ; and if I did 

 not base my conclusions on facts positive or negative, it may 

 ease Mr. Crewe's mind to think other of your readers may 

 draw different conclusions from the following "process of 

 reasoning:" — Knautiata feeds on Knaulia arvensis at Bull 

 Hill, where no heath grows, and Minutata feeds on heath at 

 Hawkshead, at Witherslack, and at Formby Moss, where plenty 

 of K. arvensis grows amongst the heath, but never once 

 touches the Bull Hill food of Knautiata, when it can get 

 heather, otherwise the Knautia feeder is a new species ; and 

 since Minutata has a pink larva, and this has not, so I assert 

 E. Knautiata is distinct from Minutata; or, reasoning another 

 way (but, as I said before, I am no reasoner). Mr. Crewe 

 says of Minutata larva (see ' Zoologist,' p. 8174) : — 



1. " It is stout." 



2. "It is thick." 



3. " It is stumpy." 



4. " Its ground colour is dull pink, or flesh-tint." 



5. It has a series of dusky Y-shaped dorsal spots. 



6. Each dorsal segment (whatever that may mean) is 

 studded with four yellowish tubercles. 



7. The spiracular line is yellowish. 



8. The head is dusky olive. 



9. The belly is dusky, or pinkish white. 



10. It feeds upon the flowers of the common ling (Calluna 

 vulgaris). 



And, as I am quite willing to let my species Knautiata 

 stand or fall, on the description I have published (Entom. vii. 

 p. 256), against Mr. Crewe's description of the larva of 

 E. minutata, as given in Newman's 'British Moths' (p. 137), 

 let us see how they agree, and leave your readers to decide 

 between us. I say of E. Knautiata larva: — 



1st. When young, slender, cylindrical. Not "short." 



2nd. Rather stout, attenuate to both extremities. Not 

 " thick." 



3rd. Much appressed in the central segments. Not 

 " stumpy." 



4th. V^aries from French-white, pale straw-colour, ashy 



