244 BBITI8H LEPIDOPTEBA. 



what of a small T. tabidosa or F. casta), but appears to remain quite 

 still at night, resting with its wings sloping roof- wise, becoming active 

 again in early morning (about 6.30 a.m.). A pair that were together 

 copulated between 6.30 a.m. and 7 a.m. on June 30th, at which time 

 the female was observed to have shifted her position, and, having 

 thrust her ovipositor into the case on which she still rested, was deposit- 

 ing eggs therein. Later on the same day she released her hold of the case 

 and fell to the ground. The normal position taken up by the newly- 

 emerged female is somewhat similar to that adopted by that of B. 

 sepium, but although some sit across the top of the case, others 

 have the body almost in line with the longitudinal axis of it ; in 

 clinging to the case the body scarcely touches it, and a perfectly rigid 

 attitude is sometimes maintained for two days. In one case a ? laid 

 unfertilised eggs but these did not hatch. Cases agreeing Avith those 

 of the lighter var. pectinella, Dup., were obtained at Brione (Locarno), 

 and Bacot notes the pairing of a Guernsey male with a Brione female, 

 at 6.30 a.m. on July 14th, although the former would not pair with a 

 female L. ferchaultella. He also states that the males of L. lapidella 

 emerge at a different time from that of the female, the latter leaving the 

 pupa? between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., the males between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., 

 possibly in the late afternoon. In pairing, the male clasps the body of 

 the female and rests on her, curving his abdomen in order to effect 

 copulation. Pairing lasts but a short time and oviposition takes place 

 almost immediately. This species appears to be confined to lichen- 

 covered walls in comparatively warm districts, either in a moderate 

 southern latitude with very warm summers or otherwise near the sea 

 with a high average temperature. The first observer of the species, 

 M. de la Voye, thought that the larvae fed on stones, but Reaumur cor- 

 rected this view, and showed that the larva fed on lichens, using par- 

 ticles of stone to cover its case. He stated that in Paris the little wall 

 of the terrace of the Tuileries was densely inhabited by the larvae, 

 whilst the wall of the park of Bercy, on the high road between Charen- 

 ton and Paris, the stones of which are bound together by earth covered 

 with lichens and moss, also produced large numbers ; as late as 

 Duponchel's time it was also exceedingly abundant in Paris. Zeller 

 records that he found two cases on the walls of the tower of St. Peter's, 

 at Rome. Milliere notes that the larva lives, in the Alpes-Maritimes, 

 on the smallest lichens on rocks and old walls facing east, whilst near 

 Lyons the species inhabits the rocks at the foot of the hills and in 

 the plains. The larva? are active all the winter in Guernsey, cases 

 occurring abundantly on the lichen- covered walls in January, and 

 larvae were still feeding June 4th, 1899, although many had already 

 pupated. When full-fed the larvae fasten their cases with silk to the 

 surface of the wall, visually under a little projection, but in many cases 

 without any protection whatever ; the empty pupa-cases, later in the 

 year, show' that both sexes are very abundant. In Britain, Bankes 

 notes cases of what appear to be this species as occurring very locally, 

 on rocks, on the Dorset coast, where apparently empty cases have been 

 found in June and July, from which numbers of newly-hatched larvae 

 appear about August, and at once try to make themselves cases with 

 any particles of grit, &c, at hand. He also records cases (E.M.M., 

 xxxv., p. 270) from the large stone pillars covered with a minute grey 

 powdery lichen at Stonehenge. "We are inclined to believe that the 



