312 THE entomologist's kecord. 



nella, in being large, irregular, and angulated ; often extending over a 

 considerable area of a leaf. On birch, this species makes larger 

 blotches, and not nearly so numerous. Is this because the birch in 

 early summer is a much more succulent food than elm is at any time ? 

 For I notice that, in autumn, the young larvae make a number of small 

 circular inner mines on each leaf they attack. This species usually 

 prefers stunted elms, under the shelter of trees or the shaded sides of 

 large trees. 



On May 30th, many of the curved cases taken on the 8th were not 

 yet abandoned. Sometimes the young cases are abandoned small, and 

 sometimes they are much enlarged, often being enlarged in a straight 

 direction before being abandoned for the final stadium and straight 

 case. Do the young larvae sometimes abandon a curved case and 

 make another, shortly after hybernation, and later on abandon that to 

 build a straight one ? I note that sometimes this species enlarges its 

 case by the addition of white silk alone, and sometimes with pieces of 

 cuticle frilled on. 



The cases were abundant at Bookham on July 4th, and also at 

 Oxshott on June 6th, almost indiscriminately on the upper- and under- 

 sides of the leaves of elm, birch, and nut. 



I have noted that, in confinement, some of the larvas of this species 

 are most indolent, for, instead of making fresh cases they adapt their 

 curved ones and make them straight by suitable additions. Perhaps I 

 should have said that they were extremely ingenious in availing 

 themselves of this method. The curved cases are slit along the lower 

 side and a new diamond-shaped piece put in. The old valves are 

 fastened together just at the bottom edge where they touch, the old 

 mouth is made to do, but a slit is made along the back at the neck 

 and a V-piece inserted. New anal valves are formed and the whole of 

 these additions show out in strong contrast with the dirty weathered 

 portion which was the old case. I subsequently found several cases 

 treated like this, but I have not seen any cases in nature which show 

 traces of such structure. I may also observe that these larvae were all 

 late in their development compared with others taken at the same 

 place and time. The occurrence just mentioned took place about 

 June 12th, whereas the other larvae I had began producing imagines 

 on June 14th. 



In 1904, Mr. Main kindly gave me cases of this species found in. 

 the New Forest on honeysuckle. This is quite a new food for the 

 species, if they feed on it. The cases were all fixed on the upperside, 

 apparently for pupation, most of them on or near the midrib, as is 

 usual, and there were no traces of the leaves having been attacked. 

 No imagines were produced, only a few ichneumons. I would suggest 

 that the larvae dropped from the overhanging bushes or trees, and 

 pupated on the leaves they chanced to meet. It often happens, that 

 larvae are found on all sorts of unusual foods, and they nibble, but 

 cannot thrive or even live on, them. For instance, Mr. Tonge gave me 

 a young larva of this species in its curved case stage, found on 

 mignonette in a florist's shop. Given an overhanging hedge and a 

 wind, and these unusual positions must follow. 



I possess a straight case, with the curved case still attached about 

 halfway down, and also examples of the strong pad, which the larva, 

 makes to fix its case upon when it is preparing for pupation. 



