of a Lejjidupterous Insect. 521 



I was unable, to my regret, to capture any of these, for 

 they were so small that they escaped through the gauze 

 covering of my breeding-cage, and I did not perceive 

 them until it was too late." 



The special interest attaclied to this insect consists, 

 first, in its being a Lepidopterous parasite, and, second, on 

 its being parasitic upon so remarkable an insect as the 

 Fulgora candelaria. INIr. Bowring, it will be noticed, 

 leaves untouched the nature of the parasitism of this 

 species ; but it is evident from what he says that the 

 Fulgorce are not destroyed by the parasite. The following, 

 in the absence of positive information, may probably be 

 assumed to be the modus operandi of the insect. The 

 Fulgora belongs to an order of insects (the Homoptera), 

 of which many of the species secrete a greater or less 

 quantity of white waxg matter, sometimes completely 

 enveloping the body and sometimes forming elongated 

 flakes, even several inches in length {c. g., Lystra 

 auricoma, Burmeister, Gen. Ins., pi. 20). 



Mr. Bowring states that his parasites were covered with 

 a cottony coat, which gives them a resemblance to a 

 Coccus. Now this " cottony" covering Avas doubtless 

 formed of the wax secreted by the Fulgora; and I have, 

 moreover, not the least doubt that it was upon the same 

 waxy material that the parasite fed, Avithout in any 

 Avay injuring the Fulgora. That the larvae of certain 

 Lepidopterous insects feed upon A\arious animal matters 

 Ave knoAv Avell. Hair, avooI, fur, bones, &c. are all eaten 

 by the larva^, of different moths, and the moth " fretting a 

 garment" is a, Avell-knoAvn symbol. We knoAv, moreover, 

 that there are tAvo or three different moths belonging to 

 the genus Galleria, of Avhich the caterpillars feed on Avax ; 

 and although they are not immediately related to the 

 present parasite in the perfect state, they afford, I think, 

 sufficient grounds for our bclicAang that it is upon the 

 Avaxy secretion of the Fulgora that this parasite subsists. 



The accompanying figures are draAvn from INIr. Boaa^- 

 ring's specimens, above described, in the British jNIuseum, 

 and others subsequently forwarded by that gentleman, noAV 

 in the Hopeian Collection at Oxford, by Avhom also the 

 manuscript name, subsequently adopted in this paper, 

 Avas pro])osed, no description of the insect having hitherto 

 appeared, so far as I am aAvare. 



TKAXS. ENT. SOC. 1 876.- TAUT \\. (dEC.) M M 



