MICROPTERYX CALTHELLA. 143 



family was made by Chapman, who found an imago of M. calthella 

 with a portion of the headpiece of the pupa attached to an antenna. 

 This showed the pupa to be of the " Incomplete " or " Micro " type, 

 i.e., it consisted of the covering of the antennae, head, and head- 

 appendages in one piece. This observation renders tolerably certain 

 what was antecedently probable, that the pupa is of " Micro " type, 

 with the third and following abdominal segments free. 



FOOD-PLANT. Probably various species of Hypnum, the larvae fed on 

 //. praelontfuni, tamariscinum and swartzii. 



HABITAT. Often to he found in abundance in various species of 

 buttercups (Caltha, etc.) in openings in woods, fields near woods, and 

 similar places. We have seen as many as a dozen in a single flower 

 of Ranvncvltu bulbosm and II. acris, in the rides of Chattenden Woods, 

 all very busily engaged eating the pollen. It is commonest on the 

 flowers of buttercups and carices, but also in and about many other 

 flowers, e.g., Scilla nutans, Veronica cJiamaedrys, Lysimackia nemorum, 

 etc. Linne mentions it as common in the flowers of Caltha palustris, 

 and Zeller states that although it is to be found sitting in com- 

 pany in the flowers of the latter plant, he finds it more common 

 in those of Eanunculus repens and E. acris on the borders of woods. 

 Inchbald has found it commonly in the blossoms of Galium verum, and 

 South on the flowers of Eanunculus bulbosus, growing by roadsides 

 near water. Barrett says that where there are no flowers of Caltha 

 palustris, or buttercup, the species frequents those of Cardamine pra- 

 tensis, and even those of stitchwort and spurge. He states that he 

 has also seen it commonly running over hazel leaves in the copses. 

 Fletcher says that at Worthing it is very common on small carices. 

 Zetterstedt notices that he has often captured them in copula, in the 

 flowers of Caltha palustris. Bower has found them on flowers 

 of Mercurialis perennis, and buttercup, as well as flying in the 

 afternoon sun. Corbett says that in various parts of Yorkshire the 

 species frequents the grassy sides of the rides of woods, where it 

 swarms on flowers of Eanunculus bulbosiis. He states that he has 

 never seen it on Caltha, the flowering time of the latter being usually 

 over before M. calthella is out. He has counted as many as 30 moths 

 on one flower of E. bulbosus and they are frequently found in copula on 

 the flowers. At Wareham, it is especially abundant in the blossoms of 

 Caltha in swampy places in May (Cambridge). In the King's Lynn, 

 district it is common ; it was exceedingly abundant in 1884 and 

 1890, in flowers of a Carex. It is also attached to Caltha palustris, 

 and species of Eanunculus, especially repens ; it is sometimes common 

 on the male flowers of Mercurialis perennis, and more than once noticed 

 commonly on flowers of Sambucus nii/er and Endymion nutans (Atmore). 

 In the Reading district it prefers damp places, and the imago is found 

 on the blossoms of Caltha (Hamrn). In the Carlisle district it is found 

 on the " mosses " (Wilkinson). In flowers of Eanunculus, Mercurialis, 

 and Carex, near Manchester (Chappell). In the Forest of Soignies to the 

 south of Brussels, sitting on the flowers of buttercups and Carex 

 (Stainton). 



TIME OF APPEARANCE. Zeller says that it appears at the end of 

 April in Sicily and in Germany (Glogau) in May ; Zetterstedt gives it 

 as appearing in southern Lapland, from June 10th-27th, whilst in 

 the northern part of Lapland (Stensele and Brattiksfjell) he has 



