604 Mr. H. T. Stainton on 



XL VI I. On the Generic Characters afforded hy the Habits 

 of various leaf-mining Micro-Lepidopterous Larvce, 

 By H. T. Stainton, Esq., F.L.S. 



[ReadSept. 7th, 1863.] 



At the last meeting of this Society a question was put by Pro- 

 fessor Westwood respecting the extent to which generic characters 

 were furnished by the habits of different leaf-mining larvae. I have, 

 therefore, sketched out the annexed Table of the principal genera 

 of mining Micro-Lepidopterous larvae, in order that from it the 

 difference in habits and structure may be seen at a glance. 



I should premise that we find mining larvse in four Orders of 

 insects — Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Diptera. The 

 last-named Order is the most extensively represented amongst 

 mining larvae : and these mines are those which are perhaps most 

 generally known, as they so readily strike the eye. The Coleop- 

 terous mining larvae are, I believe, principally referable to the 

 Curculionidce and Halticidce. The Hymenopterous mining larvae' 

 are not numerous, but some of the smaller species of Fenusa make 

 blotches in the leaves of Rosacece so similar to those made by 

 Lepidopterous larvae that they will at times deceive even a 

 practised eye. 



Amongst Lepidoptera we meet with mining larvee where per- 

 haps we should least expect them ; amongst the Sphingina at least 

 one species of Procris (P. Glubularice) has been observed in the 

 larva state mining the leaves of Centaurea Jacea,* and the greater 

 number of the Tortricina are leaf-miners when very young. 



It must be understood that in the following remarks I shall 

 confine myself entirely to such mining larvae as belong to the 

 Tineina. 



In the annexed Table I have divided the twenty genera enume- 

 rated (I consider Tinea bislrigella, Haw. = dilorella, H.-S., as 



* Zeller, Zeitschrift fiir Entomologie von dem Veiein fiir Schlesischen In- 

 sectenkunde, pp. 31, 83. 



