iMICKO-LEPlDOPTERA BRKU. 199 



insect life ? The most remarkable part of this case is that 

 the insects were to be seen only upon ihe mugwort, and this 

 only for about five or six yards in extent, whilst other plants 

 growing in the vicinity were free from them. It is true I saw 

 a few scattered individuals upon plants of mugworl outside 

 this " charmed circle," but within the space above indicated 

 I saw thousands of defunct Diptera and other insects. I 

 picked some portions of tlie plants, and showed them whilst 

 fresh to Mr. Wilkinson, who, no doubt, can vouch lor the 

 correctness of what I describe. It must be understood that 

 the insects I saw had not died from the attack of a fungoid 

 growth such as we sometimes see, but they appeared to be 

 quite fresh, and for the most part perfect. Has any other 

 similar occurrence come under the notice of other readers ot 

 the ' Entomologist,' and if it has, what cause, or combination 

 of causes, was supposed to have led to such an effect? 1 

 may mention that the majority of the insects I saw belonged 

 to the yellowish brown looking creature {Scatophaga slerco- 

 raria) so commonly found on cow-droppings, and the like; 

 but this to me was not so very peculiar, since the insect 

 must be as common, or even commoner, than any other in 

 a locality where cattle were continually grazing. 



Further notes on this subject from other localities would, I 

 am sure, be interesting to others as well as myself. 



Ringwood. 



MICRO-LEPIDOPTERA BRED, 1877 and 1878. 

 By J. H. Threlfall. 



Thi<; larvae of Gelechia viscariella were very abundant in 

 the tops of a Lychnis at Wyre, and in various localities near 

 Preston, during" April and >iay, 1877; but this year they are 

 almost entirely absent; and, strange to say, the plant itself is 

 very scarce where last year it abounded. The perfect insects 

 emerged in limited numbers during July, the pupae being 

 very much infested with ichneumons. 



Ou May 13th, 1877, I collected roots of sea ])lantain on 

 the banks of the Wyre for larvae of Gelechia instabilella, 

 which mine in the roots, and, as far as present observation 

 goes, not in the leaf or sleni. From these emerged a dozen 

 imagos of G. inslabilella about the middle of Jidy ; and to 

 my surprise, on June 30lh, one specimen of a little Gelechia^ 

 unknown to me, and which Mr. Stainton pronounces to be 



