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VIII. Note on the hahits and structure of Acanthopsyche 

 opacella, H.-Sch. By T. A. Chapman, M.D., F.Z.S. 



[Read June 6th, 1900.] 



Plate VIII. 



Having found Acaatlwiisyclie opaccUa tliis spring rather 

 freely at Locarno, I took the opportunity of noting some 

 items ahout it that have not hitherto been much examined. 

 I may note, in the first place, that the species occurs 

 everywhere at Locarno up to a height of at least 1500 

 feet above the lake, generally however very sparingly. 

 It is most common in the lower cultivated grounds, 

 especially amongst the vineyards, which consist here of 

 long rows of vines, trained on maple or other trees, with 

 wide spaces between the rows. These spaces are some- 

 times cultivated, sometimes left for some years in grass. 

 I believe it is these grassed areas that suit opacella, as 

 the cases may be found near them on tree trunks, and 

 especially on the stone posts that flank the roadside, when 

 the road passes through such an area. It appears to 

 emei'ge chiefly in April, but earlier or later according to 

 season, with some individuals much earlier and later, 

 spreading the period of its emergence over at least two 

 months. 



On April 18 I happened to find a male o]iacclla just 

 emerged, at about 4 p.m. Emergence takes place between 

 1 and 5 p.m. On opening the box again a minute after- 

 wards I found he had paired with a female that was in 

 the same box. His attitude was much the same as that 

 of Standfussia tenclla and other Psyches when paired, one 

 that is common I imagine to all the Psyches — viz. buried 

 in the female sac so that its mouth presses against the 

 bases of the hind wings, the thorax bent forwards and the 

 wings slightly spread and very much deflexed so as to 

 cover the mouth of the sac. He allowed me to raise his 

 wings without being disturbed, and I could see the first 

 two pairs of legs stretched downwards in front of the 

 moth and sac; the hind pair I could not see. I killed 

 the moth suddenly by applying a drop of chloroform. He 

 never stirred or loosened a claw, so that he now remains 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1900. — PART III. (OCTOBER) 27 



