NEPTICULA INTIMELLA. 341 



NEPTICULA INTIMELLA, Zeller. 



Synonymy.— Species : Intimella, ZelL, "Linn. Ent.," iii., p. 323 (1848) ; Sta., 

 "Ins. Brit.," p. 299 (1854) ; " Man.," ii., p. 432 (1859) ; H.-Sch., " Sys. Bearb.," 

 v., p. 356 (1855) ; Frey, "Linn. Ent.," xi., p. 393 (1857) ; Nolck., "Lep. Fn. Est.," 

 p. 792 (1871); Staud. and Wocke, " Cat.," p. 339 (1871); Hein. and Wocke, 

 " Schmett. Deutsch.," p. 7H4 (1877) ; Sorhagen, "Ent. Nach.," xi., p. 280 (1885) ; 

 "Die Kleinschmett. Brandbg.," p. 309 (1886); Meyr., "Handbook," p. 724 (1895). 



Original description. — Nepticula intimella, n. sp. Alis anteriori- 

 bus violaceo-fuscis, macula dorsi medii argentea, ciliis externe canis ; 

 capillis ferrugineis ; antennis cum conchula exalbidis. Ein einzelnes 

 Weibchen, in der Grosse einer kleinen A T . ar<iyropeza und dem Weibchen 

 derselben sebr gleichend. Grundfarbe der Vorderfliigel dunkel violett- 

 braun, auf den Franzen an der Spitze mit dem dunkeln Schuppen- 

 ringe eingefasst., Die specifischen Unterschiede scbeinen folgende zu 

 sein : Der Vorderrandfleck feblt auf den Vorderflugeln wie jeder 

 andere Fleck ; nur der Innenrandfleck ist vorhanden fast dreieckig, 

 auf dem Eande rubend an der gewohnlichen Stelle, aber silber- 

 weissglanzend. Gegen den dicbten, lebbaft rostgelben Haarschopf auf 

 dem Kopfe stechen die grossen, gelblicbweissen, glanzenden Augen- 

 deckel sehr ab. Wahrend bei TV. anjyropeza $ nur das Wurzelglied der 

 Fiibler gelblicbweiss ist, sind bier die ganzen Fiihler ganz einfarbig 

 blassgelb. An den Beinen sebe icb keine Verscbiedenbeit. Dieses 

 einzelne Exemplar ting icb bei Glogau ; docb weiss icb nicbfcs Naberes 

 dariiber (Zeller, Linnaea Entomologica, iii., p. 323). 



Imago.— Head reddisb-ocbreous. Fore- wings 5-6 mm. ; blackish- 

 fuscous ; a sbiny yellowish spot on tbe inner margin just beyond the 

 middle of the wing ; cilia fuscous. Posterior wings and cilia grey. 



Comparison of Nepticula intimiclla with its allies. — Tbe yel- 

 lowisb eye-caps and the slightly yellowish hind tarsi distinguish N. 

 intimella from N. septembrella and N. catharticella. The scaling of the 

 wings also is finer than in A^. septembrella, and the fringes are consider- 

 ably darker than in A T . catharticella. Finally the spot is placed much 

 nearer to the base of the wing, before the centre of the costa, and 

 is distinctly yellowish, which Herrich-Schaffer, incorrectly, denies 

 (Frey). 



Egg-laying. — The egg is laid on the stalk of SalLv russelliana, or 

 on the upper surface of the midrib of S. caprea (Wood). 



Mine. — The young larva burrows into tbe stalk or midrib of its 

 food-plant, and, in the latter part of its life extends its mine into the 

 blade ; forming a small blotch projecting from the side of the midrib. 

 Wood observes that the presence of a larva in the leaves of Salix 

 russelliana is shown by one lateral half of the leaf being yellow or 

 brown, whilst the other remains green. Sorhagen describes tbe mine 

 as " mixed," running at first in the midrib, then expanding laterally 

 into a brown blotch, which widens gradually. In the blotch-part of 

 the mine the frass lies towards the outside, in two parallel lines, 

 between which the larva rests when not eating. When disturbed it 

 retires into that part of tbe mine situated in the rib. 



Larva. — The larva is pale yellowish in colour, transparent, 

 posteriorly attenuated, with vivid green intestinal canal from seg- 

 ments 4-10. Head small, light brownish in colour (Sorhagen). 



Cocoon. — The cocoons (4) examined average 2*8 mm. in length 

 and 2-1 mm. in width. They are oval (almost oblong-oval) in shape, 

 with a distinct lateral rim projecting all round tbe edge. The colour 



