OBSERVATIONS ON TINEINA. 29 



to describe them, which I now much regret; but it strikes 

 me as extremely probable that the feeding larvae in autumn 

 may be found to have a habit similar to that of their American 

 congener ; and as the discovery of the larva of so interesting 

 an insect as Stathmopoda Guerinii will give a fresh impetus 

 to the study of galls and their inquilines, I am in great hopes 

 that many interesting discoveries will result therefrom. 



Stathmopoda pedella. I received from Herr Hofmann, 

 of Rati&bon, a larva, supposed to be referable to this species, 

 inhabiting the interior of the berries of the alder. The larva 

 was broad and rather flat, and it was almost impossible to 

 extricate it without squashing it. 



I now much doubt whether this larva really belongs to 

 Stathmopoda pedella. May not the larva of Pedella i-atlier 

 be a gall inquiline? A habit such as that assigned by Mr. 

 Benjamin Walsh for the larva of Batrachedra salicipomo- 

 nella, if we moreover suppose the gall to be found on the 

 leaf of the alder (as many Tenthridinideous galls are found on 

 the leaves of willows), would answer the notice given by Linne 

 in the " Fauna Suecica," " Habitat in alni foliis subcutanea. 

 T. Bergmann;" and would throw light upon the assertion of 

 the aforesaid T. Bergmann, that " even Lepidoptera cause 

 such growths as are termed galls." 



If the Tentliridinideous author of the gall were destroyed, 

 as mentioned by Mr. B. Walsh, the inquiline would appear 

 the maker of it. So true it is, even in these small creatures, 



that— 



*' Fools build houses, 

 And wise folk live in them." 



Laverna Rhamniella. Of this insect Mr. Jeffrey kindly 

 sent me larvae on the 5tli May, in the shoots of Mhamnus 

 catharticus. They were then feeding on the young, scarcely- 



