4892 Entomological Botany. 



Cerostoma horridella feeds on the sloe at the beginning of that month. 

 In August and September the leaves will sometimes be observed with 

 the two sides slightly drooping, this effect being produced by the larva 

 of Enicostoma lobelia, which feeds on the under side, in a silken tube 

 which draws down the sides of the leaf: the larva of Ypsolophus 

 fasciellus, on the contrary, doubles the leaves upwards, forming a 

 complete chamber ; it may be found in September. Dasycera sulphur- 

 ella, which feeds on decaying sloe stems, as well as on almost any other 

 kind of wood, is the next that claims our attention ; it may especially 

 be noticed where the black-thorn hedge has been clipped, profiting by 

 all the clefts left in the branches where they have been cut, and 

 betraying its retreat by a heap of ill-digested wooden " frass." Of the 

 genus Argyresthia, the whitish-green larva of A. mendica, the orange- 

 banded green larva of A. albistria (not unlike a miniature P. Machaon) 

 feed on the young leaf-buds in May. Of the genus Ornix we have 

 already bred two species, O. anglicella and O. torquillella, from sloe : 

 the young larvae mining the leaves might easily be mistaken for larvae 

 of a Lithocolletis young; but, on closer scrutiny, the mine will be ob- 

 served much smaller than a developed Lithocolletis mine, for the 

 larvae of this latter genus have a prescience denied to man, and as 

 soon as they escape from the egg (of which 1 believe they eat the shell, 

 for hitherto I have been unable to find it), they commence making a 

 mine big enough to last them the term of their natural lives ; after 

 which, though the larva trebles its size, the dimensions of the mine 

 remain unaltered, except by the shrinking of the leaf. The Ornix 

 larvae, after quitting their mines, turn down the edge of the leaf, and 

 feed on the inside of the tubular abode thus formed ; any one possessed 

 of eyes may find these freely on almost any sloe bush in July and 

 September. The larva of Coleophora paripennella is to be found 

 very commonly on sloe in autumn, its funny knobby case looking as 

 if laid on the leaves, as in winter and spring we find it attached in the 

 same flat position to the stems of the bushes or to palings. The 

 larva of C. anatipennella carries his case erect, not that it holds its 

 head any higher on that account, for it is its tail which is elevated at 

 an angle of 90° : it is very common in May, and from its queer black 

 look and pistol-shape is often wondered at by the ignorami. C. pal- 

 liatella I never met with in propria persona, so that I cannot say 

 much about it; but as it carries a broad scaly flap on each side of its 

 case, it is even a more extraordinary sight than its congener. 



Coleophora nigricella feeds on the sloe, but not so commonly as on 

 hawthorn and apple ; its straight case is a very inferior piece of 



