582 Mr. C. L. Witliycombe's Notes on 



from those of C. psociformis. The antennae of the larva 

 are, however, shorter, being on the average -4 mm. long. 

 The ratio of basal joint to terminal portion is about 1:5. 

 I am quite sure that this will not prove a reliable distinc- 

 tion, having already seen one larva of undoubted ijsoci- 

 formis, which had been bred, with antennae no longer 

 than as now given for pineticola. 



The two forms of Comventzia usually occur in separate 

 localities, but their habits are in every way the same. 



Coniopteryx pygmaea Enderlein. 

 Wing expanse about 5-5 mm, 



Coniopteryx possesses an unbranched media in the 

 hind-wings, and can thus be separated from all other 

 British Coniopterygidae with subequal wings. In C. 

 pygmaea the cross- veins between subcosta and radius, and 

 radius and radial sector, in both wings, run in one straight 

 line or almost so. While in pygmaea this venational 

 character is remarkably constant and variations are few, 

 yet C. tineiformis frequently has a very similar venation 

 and might be confused with piygmaea. Other characters 

 are given by Enderlein to separate the two species, but they 

 are not as constant as one would, wish, and I therefore 

 omit them at present. C. pygmaea can best be determined 

 by the male genitalia, which are very distinct. In the 

 field, jjygmaea may, after some experience, be identified 

 with tolerable certainty by its smaller size and bright 

 orange-pink colour of the abdomen, especially in the female. 

 In tineiformis the abdomen is yellow in life. 



A common little species in the south of England, where 

 it is usually more abundant than C. tineiformis on conifers, 

 to which it appears to be entirely confined. In a pine wood, 

 year after year the species will abound on a particular 

 tree or section of trees. Why, is a mystery, since the trees 

 in question do not appear to possess food suitable for 

 Coniopteryx which is absent from other trees. The first 

 brood occurs in May and June, the second in July a nd August. 

 Stragglers, both imagines and larvae, have been found 

 as late as December. 



Eggs are laid singly, rarely two or three together, on 

 pine needles, on the inner flat face of same, sometimes at 

 the base and but occasionally on twigs. They are -4 mm. 



