170 DORSET LEPIDOPTERA. 



Cbleophora Iherinella was also a new addition to the county, when 

 I first (in 1890) found the larvse feeding here on thistles (Carduus 

 wvensis), in the leaves of which they make conspicuous blotches, 

 the specimens referred to in Mr. C. "W. Dale's " Lepidoptera of 

 Dorset" as this species being Col. onosmella. I have this year found 

 this species in other woods in the neighbourhood of Weymouth, 

 but considering the extreme abundance of its food plant, it is 

 extraordinarily local. It seems to flourish best in rather shaded 

 positions, though I have found it occasionally in open spaces. 

 In one part of the wood Col. therinella is very much 

 persecuted by great numbers of spiders, which spin their webs all 

 over the thistles. Though the larva lives in a strong silken case, 

 the spiders manage to extract it, and I have seen the unfortunate 

 caterpillar being carried off by them for food. It is doubtless 

 owing to this that one sometimes comes across untenanted cases. 

 In the great majority of instances these cases would drop to the 

 ground when the larvse are pulled out of them, so that the 

 spiders must eat many more larvaa than the number of empty 

 cases actually found. 



I must not omit to mention here Gelechia malvella, now a some- 

 what scarce species, but formerly common in gardens amongst holy- 

 hocks, on which the larva fed. These plants are not now so much 

 grown, owing probably to the disease to which they are subject, and 

 the moth is consequently rarer. Under thoroughly wild conditions 

 the larva feeds on the marsh mallow (Altlicea officinalis) ; and in the 

 seeds of this plant, which grows here and there on the shore of 

 the Fleet, near Abbotsbury, I found larvse in September, 1890, and 

 bred a few of the imagines in 1891. I am not aware that it has 

 before been observed in this county except in Mr. Dale's garden at 

 Glanvilles Wootton. 



In two parts of these woods occur some large junipers, which are 

 doubtless indigenous, as on the adjoining down juniper occurs 

 mixed with the gorse, but being unenclosed, it is eaten by the 

 animals which graze there, and does not grow to a height of more 

 than two feet or thereabouts. The only species that I have found 



