THE ANNALS 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



[SECOND SERIES.] 

 No. 24. DECEMBER 1849. 



XL. — On the Primrose-leaf Miner ; with notice of a proposed new 

 Genus, and characters of three Species of Diptera. By Mr. 

 James Hardy*. 



The Primrose is perhaps the most popular of our native plants, 

 associated as it is with bright skies, the song of birds, and spring- 

 tide anticipations. What youthful bard has not attuned his lyre 

 to the inspiration of the pale features of 



" The ae flower, the ae first flower, 

 Springs either on moor or dale 1 " 



and gi*ave and reverend sages have written, experimented and 

 surmised, till the poor flower may be said to be put fairly out of 

 countenance. But although thus a theme of general regard, 

 and one in which most, simple or sage, at one time or another 

 have been interested, there is one portion of its history as yet 

 unassayed, or if touched, still left in conjecture and obscurity. I 

 allude to the curious and beautiful appearances, that every close 

 observer must have remarked, which many of the leaves of the 

 plant put on, long after the frail blossom that first drew willing 

 eyes has withered and passed away, and which still preserve for 

 it a claim on more than passing attention. On picking up one 

 of the leaves, sometimes the middle part of the upper surface will 

 be found of nearly a pure white, which, where it is limited by the 

 original green, presents a wavy and exceedingly fantastic outline ; 

 at other times small undulating bands issue from the colourless 

 central area, like streams 



" Devolving from their parent lakes :" 



at times we have before us the representation of a serpent un- 

 twisting its many coils, and at others a congeries of minute 

 worms, inextricably intertwined, of which we can trace a general 



* Read before the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, at their Meeting of the 

 17th October 1849. 



Ann, §• Mag, N. Hist, Ser. 2. Vol, iv. 26 



