100 f August, 



" When the herbage is strong, the larvjE spin together from two to six branches 

 of Salicornia herhacea to form a sort of tent, and gnaw the inside of it ; while, in 

 the case of Suceda maritima, several leaves or shoots are joined, and the green part 

 of the leaves is eaten from within, only whitened remains being left. Where the 

 plants are dotted thinly over the more or less dry mud, and their branches are pro- 

 cumbent, the larva spins a web of loose silk among the branches, much in the manner 

 of a low-feeding Phycis or Butalis, and lives in a denser gallery of white silk on 

 the surface of the ground, or often some little distance down a crack in it. Of the 

 larvae that live in this way the ground-colour of the body is, on the average, lighter 

 than in those from which the description was taken. I have also found them on 

 Spergularia media, feeding in this same manner, and on Aster tripolium, of which 

 they mine and inhabit the leaves." 



Larvae of the earlier broods have been found in leaves of Aster 

 tripolium by Mr. Gr. Elisha, in Essex, on May 12th ; and by Mr. J. H. 

 Threlfall, in Lancashire, on June 5th ; those of the later ones in this 

 and other plants by Messrs. J. W. Douglas and W. H. B. Fletcher, 

 in Sussex. 



The imago does not seem to have been often noticed on the wing ; 

 Mr. Fletcher, who has taken it freely, finds blowing on the ground 

 the most successful method of collecting. 



GENERAL EEMAEKS. 



In trying to distinguish these closely-allied Lifce, it should be 

 borne in mind that in general they vary very greatly, and on parallel 

 lines. The ground-colour is inconstant, while the markings are un- 

 stable in shape and colour, and are apt to be intensified, or to disappear 

 almost entirely. But when long bred series of them are seen side by 

 side, the special characteristics of each are very evident, and become 

 impressed on the memory. The following is an attempt to tabulate 

 them, so that, in their ordinary forms at least, they may be recognised : — 



1. Fore-wings moderately broad, apex rather blunt 2 



Fore- wings decidedly narrow, apex acutely pointed 5 



2. Pale hind fascia generally present and well defined 3 



Without pale hind fascia, (inner margin paler) = sucedella. 



3. With paler inner margin = ocellatella. 



Without paler inner margin 4 



4. With small spots = instabilella. 



With large spots = salicornica. 



5. Inner margin paler, without pale hind fascia =^ plantaginella. 



Inner margin not paler, with or without pale hind fascia (generally 



ill-defined, often obsolete) 6 



6. Ground-colour pale greyish-brown = atriplicella. 



Ground-colour pale greyish-stramineous = ohsoletella. 



1. L. salicornicB may be known by its large coloured spots, and, in the commoner 

 forms, by its prettily marbled fore-wings. 



