LUFFIA LAPIDELLA. 237 



and looks little like the head of a lepidopterous insect. The antennae are of 

 moderate length, thread-like. The body is arched, the dorsum convex. 

 The insect moves little, and awaits the male on its case. The ovi- 

 positor is 3-jointed, surrounded by a ring of scales, and is as long as the 

 body. This is lengthened and shortened alternately to obtain the eggs 

 to place them in the case. The body itself appears to be full of eggs." 

 Bacot says that the female of this species reminds one somewhat, 

 especially in the character of its anal tuft, of that of T. tubulom. 

 The banded appearance of the abdominal segments is due to bands 

 of small, dark, narrow scales, and not to the presence of corneous 

 plates as in Fumea. 



Variation. — The males exhibit considerable variation in size, four 

 examples from Guernsey measuring 11mm. (2), 12-25mm. and 12-5mm. 

 in expanse, whilst the examples forming the series in the " Stainton " 

 and " Frey " collections, from Lyons, vary from 9mm.-12-lmm. in 

 expanse. Those from Guernsey are rather dark grey in colour, and 

 perhaps more distinctly marked than the French specimens, which are 

 not only smaller (average) but browner in tint, the cases, too, being 

 lighter owing to their outer surfaces being covered with minute 

 particles of light-coloured sand and mica. We suspected that these 

 paler examples might be distinct from the Guernsey species, but careful 

 examination does not tend to support this view. It is, however, 

 worthy perhaps of a special name and hence we term it : 



a. var. pectinella, Dup., "Hist. Nat.," supp. iv., p. 512, no. 621 (1844). Lapi- 

 dicella, Gn., "Ann. Soe. Ent. Fr.," 2nd ser., iv., pp. 11-14 (1846). — 6'". Forewings 

 above and below glossy grey, slightly reticulated with brown. Hindwings above 

 and beneath unicolorous whitish-grey, as also the fringes. Head, body, legs, and 

 antennas brown-grey, the latter with long widely separated pectinations, on which 

 account they are not numerous (Duponchel). 



Guenee notes its colour as shining whitish-grey irregularly striated, 

 with a cellular lunule and apical spot darker ; the posterior wings 

 whitish and the body ashy. This French form was obtained in abun- 

 dance by Milliere at Lyons. Guenee, as we have already observed, also 

 states that it occurred in hundreds around Paris, whilst Duponchel 

 found it many times flying at night around the light in his rooms. 

 The supposition that this may be distinct from the Guernsey insect 

 has been held, and the lighter colour of moth and case support this, 

 but Bacot has noted (vide, posted) that a Guernsey $ paired with a 

 Brione ? that came from a case of the pale pectinella type. The late 

 appearance of Walsingham's Corsican examples (mentioned later) is 

 also puzzling. Stainton made the following description of the Lyons 

 larva : 



Solenobia lapidicella (Sta., MS., F. 608, fig. B, 13). Larva: Black. Head and 

 2nd segment shining black ; front of 3rd and part of 4th segments also shining 

 black. Long. 7mm. Feeds on lichens on old walls facing north, at Lyon (Milliere, 

 June 14th, 1857) [Durrant, in lilt.] . 



Durrant notes that Stainton made a rough sketch of the case which 

 could not be distinguished from that of lapidella, Goeze. 



Comparison of Luffia lapidella with its allies. — The female is 

 very similar in structure to that of L. ferchaidtella (pomonae), but very 

 different in its habits. Both have fairly well-developed antennae and 

 conspicuous scales on the abdominal segments. The ? Bacotia septum 

 has almost exactly similar habits to those of the ? L. lapidella, for 

 both remain in a similar " calling" position on the case, awaiting a 



