209 THE entomologist's record. 



and desenb3d (Ent., vi., p. 409) as Ps>/i'he hibernicella, appear to belong 

 to this insect. 



The spscies which Staintcn referred to repeatedly as Solenolia 

 pomonae is also a Lvjfia (see the cases in the Stainton collection). 

 Whether it be cospecitic Avitli L. tajiulella one is not prepared ta say, 

 as the males have not yet been bred. The cases, however, are well 

 distributed, having been obtained during the present summer by 

 Whittle (Essex), Bacot (P>roxbourne), Fletcher (Sussex), &c. It was 

 the fomale of this species that Harding referred (A'. M. j\1., xii., pp. 208- 

 209) to Na)-[/(i(i iiHiancUa as an apterous form. One doubts the reputed 

 absolute parthenogenetic tendency of this insect and supposes that, 

 given sufficient material ami care in breeding, males would be obtained, 

 as in the case of L. lapichila, this sex having been bred both by Mr. 

 Bacot and Dr. Chapman during the last few days, from cases supplied 

 by Mr. Luft', of Guernsey. 



We suspect the Luffiids will not only divide up into two genera : — 

 Lujfia (type : lapiddla) and Ikicotia (typo: sej)iui)i), but that the former 

 contains a group of allied species that have yet to be worked out. Dr. 

 Chapman having obtained cases of a probable third species from the 

 neighbourhood of Locarno. We would suggest that, in collecting 

 cases, they be obtained from a variety of situations, the larvjB of the 

 sexes often taking up quite different positions when near pupation. 



The " Extinct " Chrysophanus dispar. 



By JOSEPH MEERIN. 



The interest aroused by the study of extinct species is not confined 

 to the ages when the mammoth and the Flet.'iosaKrus rambled over the 

 Liassic waters and deposits. The class Insecta has a long tale yet to 

 tell, although albeit we have only sparse fossil impressions of Neu- 

 roptera and some few of the other orders of this great class. It seems 

 fair to infer from the simple structure of insects that they abounded 

 long ages before the higher orders of animals were developed, the 

 frailty of their organisation fully accounting for the few remains they 

 have left for our contemplation. Endowed with enormous fecundity 

 and many protective resemblances, they have, despite their remote 

 origin, apparently been able, without leaving many gaps, to show 

 bravely in modern times. Their minuteness and power to assimilate 

 the abundant pabulum around them may, to some extent, account for 

 this. A terrific war has been waged against them by almost every 

 other animal ; but, in return, they have carried on a warfare equally 

 fierce. 



While entomologists in ccmparatively recent times have been able to 

 record the discovery of many " new species," certain localities have 

 been denuded of others. One of the finest and rarest of British 

 butterflies, i'lm/-<o]>ha)u(s (//.^/rtr, has been pretty generally considered as 

 extinct in this country, but still there seems to be a gleam of hope that 

 the species still survives in -some of its most ancient and secluded 

 haunts. It would be a thousand pities to set the mere collector on the 

 track of this fine species ; but it Avculd be interesting to know there is 

 a possibility of its survival. I had a male and female, lately parted 

 with, which are undoubtedly British, and which were taken in a 

 locality not included in the fenny districts of its former haunts. As 



