2332 Insects. 



June, my attention was arrested by the leafless and lifeless appearance of a venerable 

 oat, which 4 in spring I had observed covered with luxuriant foliage* It stood alone, 

 and was not within fifty yards of any other tree. Curious to know the cause of this 

 unexpected change, I went to examine it, and found the trunk completely covered with 

 a fine transparent web ; and on closer inspection observed the crevices which time had 

 formed in the bark filled (I might say) with small pupae. In hopes of supplying some 

 desiderata I carried off vast numbers of them, but to my surprise they all turned out 

 to be examples of Tortrix viridana. I say surprise, because T never found these pupae 

 otherwise than rolled up in a living oak leaf. Here then is the interesting part, — leaves 

 were wanted for food, and as these larvse are not adapted for progressive motion, a mi- 

 gration to other trees, in this case, was all but impracticable ; they must therefore make 

 the most of their present supply, and it became necessary to eat what, under other cir- 

 cumstances, would have formed a protection for the pupae ; and they sought this pro- 

 tection in the crannies of the bark, as more nearly resembling their usual retreat than 

 any other that was attainable, for there was not a vestige of leaf left on the tree. And 

 even this economy did not appear to have afforded them a sufficiency of food, for most 

 of them were one-third less than the usual size, and their colour a more sickly green. 

 Nature is in general too sure a guide for me to suppose that the foliage was all 

 destroyed by this species, though they must have been very numerous ; the probability 

 is that other larvae, and of larger size, had considerable share in the devastation : but, 

 be that as it may, it was the expedient which instinct hit upon to supply a deficiency 

 which they could not have anticipated, that excited my admiration ; and it adds ano- 

 ther link to the chain which connects instinct with reason. — W. Turner, M.A. ; Up- 

 pingham, November 8, 1848. 



Economy of Melanoleuca dodecea. — In May last I captured several of this rare and 

 pretty ermine, at Darenth Wood, Kent, and as the history of them appears not to be 

 known I venture to supply that deficiency. The moths make their appearance at the 

 end of May, in woods, and lanes near woods, on Lithospermum officinale, and may be 

 seen on the tops of that plant : time of day or weather appear seldom to make them 

 quit their station : during heavy rains they only shift to some lower leaf, appearing 

 again on the tops as the rain ceases. They are very sluggish in their habits ; but on 

 the least movement of the plant, in capturing them, they fall to the ground, where 

 they remain for a long time in a torpid state. They keep in good condition four or 

 five weeks. The caterpillar is bright yellow, with a broad white band down the back, 

 and one down the belly ; down the centre of each is a black line, but broken at each 

 segment of the body ; two rows of black patches along the sides, with a black dot be- 

 tween each ; some fine white hairs scattered about the body : when young they spin a 

 fine web on the under-side of the leaf, feeding on the soft part and leaving the upper 

 part untouched : when they get nearly full fed they leave off spinning webs, but still 

 keep feeding on the under-side of the leaf: like the moths, on the least movement of 

 the plant, they fall to the ground : in caterpillar from five to six weeks in August and 

 September : like the larva? of the Tortricidae, they travel backwarks or forwards : when 

 full fed they spin a strong white web among leaves and rubbish. — H. J. Harding ; 1, 

 York Street, Church Street, Shoreditch, November, 1848. 



E. NEWMAN, PRINTER, 9, DEVONSHIRE STREET, BISHOPSGATE STREET. 



