Insects. 3129 



amusement, as he may be inclined ; and his disposition towards these 

 squatters will materially influence the tone of their criticisms on his 

 employment. This pit was the very Italy of a collecting-ground some 

 years since, when kept private, but since it has been overrun by these 

 Goths and Vandals, the number of insects has sensibly declined, and 

 some species are likely to become extinct. 



I will briefly enumerate some of the more interesting captures in 

 Lepidoptera I have made here. 



Trochilium Ichneumoniforme, much rarer than formerly. Taken by 

 sweeping Centaurea nigra. The early states of this insect are, I be- 

 lieve, still a mystery, and afford a problem for some of our brethren to 

 solve. It is always attached to the knapweed, and probably the larva 

 feeds in the stem or roots. 



Dicrorampha Artemisia?, Bentley, is found upon Artemisia vulgaris, 

 in July, and probably feeds upon that plant. Herrich-Schaeffer and 

 Freyer have figured as caliginosana, Tr., a Tortrix which seems iden- 

 tical with this species ; the caliginosa of Guenee is probably identical 

 with the acuminatana of Zeller. 



Dicrorampha Jacquinii, Haw., found upon tansy (Tanacetum vul- 

 gare) in July. Mr. Doubleday gives this as synonymous with poli- 

 tana, TV. V. ; but I beg, with all deference to his research, to differ. 

 Politana is taken all over the pit, and in many other places where no 

 tansy grows ; whereas Jacquiniana is found only in one part of the 

 pit, where a few plants of tansy are, and the insect, per se, seems to 

 my eyes to be distinct from politana. 



Graph olita nigromaculana. Attached to the ragwort (Senecio Jaco- 

 bcea), and found in July. 



Ephippiphora Fenella, L. The larva feeds in the stems of Artemi- 

 sia vulgaris, and the imago appears in July. The time occupied in 

 the pupa state is very short. 



Catoptria . A new species, probably either decolorana or 



modestana of Herrich-Schaeffer. I found it here last August. 



Eupcecilia • , the E. dubitana of English collections, but not 



of Hiibner, which has a white head, whereas our species has a black 

 one. It does not appear to be known on the continent. Found in 

 July and August. 



Cochylis dipoltella, Hlibner. Found in August. 



Pempelia carnella used to be taken here, but is now almost, if not 

 quite, extinct, thanks to the boys aforesaid. 



Homaeosoma sinuella. Rarer than formerly. Taken by sweeping, 

 in July. 



IX. X 



