INSECTS AND PLANTS AT PORTLAND. 27 



clue to the food, and I eventually found some small unknown 

 Lepidopterous cases under stones, constructed of silk and the 

 microscopic lichen on which the larva feeds they are by no 

 means common and we naturally assumed that they were 

 this species. However, after three years we bred some moths, 

 black with silver markings, which turned out to be new to 

 science, and which Lord Walsingham did me the honour to 

 name after me, Tinea richardsoni. Both this and E. bankesiella 

 were afterwards found on the Swanage coast by Mr. Eustace 

 Bankes, after whom I had named the latter species ; and I have 

 also found this at Lulworth. A variety of the common 

 Scoparia mercurella, named var. Portlandica, was formerly 

 regarded, like many other forms now proved to be varieties 

 only, as a species, S. phceoleuca. It is a little grey moth which 

 sits on the rocks and is rather hard to see until it flies off. It 

 differs from the common mainland form in having a broad 

 white band; but intermediate forms occur here commonly. 

 A great rarity, Diasemia ramburialis, the only Portland speci- 

 men, was taken here on July llth, 1889, under the Verne by 

 the late Rev. C. R. Digby. He and I and Mr. Bankes had 

 just reached our collecting ground when he stooped down and 

 picked a four-leaved clover and said " Hullo, here's luck for 

 me!" Within half-an-hour he took this rarity! Evidently 

 the first thing for us to do to-day is to find a four-leaved 

 clover! The wormwood (Artemisia absinthium}, which grows 

 so abundantly in the disused quarries on top of Portland, affords 

 food for three moths, as well as for hosts of snails. The larva 

 of Cucullia absinthii, the wormwood shark, feeds on the 

 flowers and is difficult to see, owing to its close resemblance 

 to them. It is a great cannibal when kept in confinement. 

 Another feeds in the stems (Ephestia dnerosella), and a third 

 very beautiful little moth (Catoptria pupillana) in and close to 

 the roots. A few flowers, such as crowsfoot trefoil, the kidney 

 vetch (Anthyllis vulnerarid), thyme, milkwort, squinancy-wort, 

 and others occur in great masses and form beautiful floral 

 carpets; others larger and more imposing, as Echium vulgar c 

 (Viper's bugloss) are splendid in some seasons when they 



