ON SOME MICRO-LEPIDOPTERA REARED IN CAPTIVITY. 203 



never noticed any particular difference in the larvae. It was 

 therefore rather an agreeable surprise to see D. tveirella emerge, 

 for I much wanted them, having only four or five very poor 

 specimens in my collection ; so light and faded were they, that I 

 could not identify my bred ones with them, nor could one or two 

 of my friends. Mr. C. G. Barrett, with his large experience, 

 very soon recognised them and kindly named them for me. 

 D. arenella. — Some nice specimens from larvae in the shoots 

 of burdock at Bexley ; also P. lappella, from the seeds. 

 Gracilaria semifasciella. — A few specimens from Box Hill. This 

 species, as regards ichneumons, was the exception to what has 

 been the rule this year with my larvse ; nearly all those of this 

 species collected were destroyed by these little pests, which spun 

 their white cocoons, fastened at each end by a single thread to 

 the leaf, close to the remains of their victims. Coleophora 

 inflatella. — A fine long series from larvse found in the lanes about 

 Croydon, feeding on the seeds of Silene inflata. They seem to 

 prefer the dry seed-heads to the unripe pods, for most of those I 

 found were on the dried-up seed capsules, which would scarcely 

 bear touching without breaking off. C. artemisicolella. — A fine 

 long series from larvae found feeding on Artemisia maritimum at 

 Southend. This species is generally very difficult to rear, but 

 this year, from some cause, they emerged very freely. C. wilkin- 

 sonella and C. ibipennella. — A nice series of each, from larvae 

 found rather sparingly on birch at Wanstead. Laverna rasch- 

 kiella. — A few from larvae mining the leaves of Epilobium at Box 

 Hill. Pterophorus galactodactylus. — Some nice specimens from 

 larvae under leaves of burdock. I was rather late for this species, 

 but the riddled state of the leaves was a proof of the numbers 

 that had been feeding, most of which had disappeared. P. 

 lienigianus. — A very long and fine series from larvae found at 

 Deal in June, on Artemisia vulgaris. By careful searching I 

 managed to secure a good supply ; they were no trouble to rear, 

 and I think every larva I found emerged a perfect specimen 

 of this insect. 



From the above few notes it will be seen that I have no 

 reason to be dissatisfied with the season so far, but rather the 

 reverse ; for I had species emerge, in some cases very freely, the 

 larvae of which have hitherto given me the greatest trouble to get 

 through the winter at all. 



122, Shepherdess Walk, City Eoad, Aug., 1884. 



