4036 Insects, 



palliatella have two of the most singular silken cases with which we 

 are acquainted). Some of the larvae have when young the case of a 

 different form to that which they afterwards bear; thus the case of 

 fuscedinella or of nigricella is curved when very young, the case of 

 the adult larva being straight. In other species we imagine that the 

 form of the case does not vary with the age of the larva. 



All the species with which we are acquainted seem to pass the win- 

 ter in the larva state ; but there is this difference, that some are very 

 small at the time of their hybernation, some are half grown, and some 

 are full grown, and do not take any food subsequently. Fuscedinella 

 and nigricella may be instanced as species which pass the winter in 

 the very young state, in their curved cases : albitarsella, discordella, 

 and viminetella may be mentioned as species which pass the winter 

 when more fully grown, (indeed, last year I bred a specimen of vimi- 

 netella in November, and though no doubt this was forced, I imagine 

 it shows that some of these larvae are completely fed up, and perhaps 

 changed to the pupa before the winter sets in). The seed-feeding 

 species, argentula, and that on the Atriplex, no doubt attain their full 

 growth before hybernation. Of some of the species, the larvae are 

 found more freely in the autumn ; and although it is not easy to keep 

 them alive in -doors all the winter, it may be desirable to put the larvae 

 on convenient individual plants, leaving them to shift for themselves 

 during the winter, and to collect them again in the spring. Last au- 

 tumn I transplanted a number of larvae of viminetella to some sallow 

 bushes that were more convenietly situated for me, but unfortunately 

 I quite forgot having made this preserve, until I found in July the 

 empty cases and marks where the larvae had been. 



H. T. Stainton. 



Mountsfield, Lewisham, 

 July 27, 1853. 



P.S. — Since the above was written, Mr. Douglas and I have bred 

 the Coleophora from the seeds of the Atriplex, (No. 1). Mr. Douglas's 

 specimen appears to approximate to flavaginella, whereas mine ap- 

 pear to be annulatella. Mr. Boyd has this month found at Lynd- 

 hurst, the larva-case of a Coleophora on the pods of furze, (Ulex) ; 

 this is probably that of albicosta. — H. T. S. 



August, 16, 1853. 



