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TWO NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS COLEOPHORA 



ADDED TO THE BRITISH FAUNA. 



By William Machin. 



Coleophora vibicigerella. — I have pleasure in recording 

 the occurrence of a fine specimen of this insect, which is new to 

 England. It was taken by myself in a garden near Fobbing, 

 Essex, in June last. The insect was observed on a leaf of 

 Convolvulus major in a hedge, opposite a plant of Artemisia 

 vulgaris, on which its larva had probably fed. Not recognising 

 the species I sent it to my friend Mr. Warren, who stated 

 he believed it to be the above-named species (which opinion 

 Mr. Stainton confirmed), and that its larvae feed on Artemisia 

 campestris and A. vulgaris. Subsequently I went to search for 

 the larva, but my friend had cut down the plant. I have 

 searched in the immediate neighbourhood, where I found a fair 

 quantity of plants of A. vulgaris, but have not succeeded in 

 detecting its larva. I found no plants of A. campestris. This 

 insect belongs to the Vibicella group, and bears some resemblance 

 to a small specimen of Coleophora conspicuella. 



Coleophora maritimella. — This new species (lately named 

 by Mr. Stainton) is one of the Troglodytella group of the genus 

 Coleophora, but is smaller than that species, the wings more 

 pointed, and darker at the apex. The young larvae are hatched 

 in the autumn, and again commence feeding after hybernation, 

 early in the year, causing whitish blotches in the leaves of 

 Artemisia maritima, but few attain their full growth till the end 

 of June or beginning of July ; the imagines appearing in August. 

 The case is similar to that of C. troglodytella, but I think rather 

 more slender. The larvae appear to be widely distributed over 

 the salterns near the Thames estuary, but is nowhere common. 

 My first meeting with it was on the sea-wall at Thames Haven, 

 but this wall suffered so much from the great snow-storm and 

 gale, two years ago, as to need extensive repairs ; and on visiting 

 the place the following autumn I found the wall had been repaired 

 for about a mile, and all trace of the wormwood which had 

 grown there in plenty was entirely obliterated. 

 22, Argyle Road, Carlton Square, E., March 13, 1884. 



