150 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



FURTHER NOTES UPON EMYDIA CRIBRUM. 

 By J. Hy. Fowler. 



I was most interested in the perusal of the notes on Emydia 

 cribrum, by Mr. Bankes (Entom. xxxii. 101-103). This species 

 being one of my favourite insects, I have spent a great deal of 

 time in observing it since I wrote the note referred to (Entom. 

 xxv. 269-271), and can safely say that I know its life-history 

 right through ; I have found larvae several times and know it 

 well. I do not think Mr. Bankes can have read my " Further 

 Observations upon Emydia cribrum,'" in the ' Entomologist ' for 

 1894 (xxvii. 307), and I think they will show that this species has 

 been bred from British larvae, and the aberration mentioned as 

 apparently unknown to me is represented by a similar one in my 

 cabinet, but it is extremely rare. Mr. Bright, of Bournemouth, 

 has one also, I believe. 



I am pleased to add that I have quite recently discovered two 

 things, by the merest accident, in connection with cribrum, which 

 will also be likely to clear up two doubtful points, viz. its food- 

 plant, and a New Forest locality. I must confess I was agree- 

 ably surprised at the event, as I have collected at various times 

 over the same ground scores of times, but not during the time 

 when cribrum is upon the wing. I rode my bicycle some miles 

 into the Forest for a spin, dismounted, and strolled over a heath 

 to see what insects were upon the wing. I saw a few of the 

 common species, such as carpini, nanata, and others ; and upon 

 my lying down upon the heath for a rest, I was casually looking 

 around, and upon a clump of lichen close by was a nearly full- 

 grown larva of cribrum feeding. I watched it for some time ; 

 then brought it home for comparison with my preserved speci- 

 mens, and found them identical. The lichen was quite different 

 from that which grows upon the heath-stems ; this grows upon, 

 and in fact carpets, the ground all about ; grows several inches 

 high ; in appearance it resembles the well-known lichen which 

 Cleora glabraria feeds upon, on oak-trees, &c, but is a little 

 coarser. 



I may add that I have well-preserved larvae, pupae, ova, and 

 the parasites in my cabinet ; also over two dozen of the perfect 

 insect which I bred. A few seasons ago I found five larvae upon 

 a clump of Air a ccespitosa, near Verwood, and bred them 

 through ; but to go and collect them upon the heaths is like 

 looking for the proverbial needle in the bundle of hay. The 

 locality in the New Forest which I have discovered is known 

 only to myself, I believe, and I hope to get a good series there 

 during the first week in June. I will publish the results. 



Bingwood, Hants : May 4th, 1899. 



