Insects. 5401 



blotches, often as large as the leaves. In this respect its mines 

 resemble those of the pretty Chrysoclista Schrankella, which, though 

 apparently more partial to E. alsinifolium, is sometimes found on E. 

 hirsutum. 



Epilobium angustifolium. Rose-bay Willow Herb. 



An elegant plant, without the dense foliage of hirsutum, and with 

 longer spikes of more conspicuous flowers. It is often grown in gar- 

 dens, thriving well in damp, shady places : such are its usual resort. 

 I had occasionally noticed a few plants of it, but had never met with 

 a bed of it, apparently wild, till this last summer, when, in the wood 

 on the summit of the cloud-attracting Box Hill, I found a congenial 

 locality, a damp, shady place, and there E. angustifolium grew in pro- 

 fusion, in company with the pretty little enchanter's nightshade (Cir- 

 c<za lutetiana). 



Speyer mentions as feeding on E. angustifolium ChaerocampaElpe- 

 nor ; but its patrons which most deserve our consideration are three 

 of the Tineina, two of which the exertions of Mr. Machin and Mr. F. 

 O. Standish have added to the British list during the past season ; 

 they having found both of them in the aforesaid wood on the top of 

 Box Hill. (The entomologists of Dorking and vicinity leave the 

 treasures of their neighbourhood to the energy of the London col- 

 lectors). The first species found was Laverna conturbatella, and its 

 discovery was promptly followed by that of L. Raschkiella. The 

 larvae of both species were subsequently met with ; under E. hirsutum 

 I have already noticed their different modes of feeding. 



The other larva attached to this plant, and which we have not yet 

 found here, is Butalis inspersella, of which Zeller, quoting a letter from 

 Schlager, gives the following account in the 'Linnaea Entomologica,' 

 vol. x. p. 253. " On the 18th of June I found, in the clusters of blos- 

 soms of Epilobium angustifolium, white, rather thick webs, which were 

 quite full of small larvae. They were still mostly very young, and 

 hardly a fourth of an inch long; yet some were twice that size, and 

 others even larger. In the corners of my cage they made white, 

 transparent cocoons, in w T hich to change to pupae. The perfect 

 insects appeared in about fourteen days. The web which the larvae of 

 inspersella inhabit is rather large, encompassing some of the upper- 

 most leaves, and is much laden with grains of excrement. It reminds 

 one somewhat of a nest of an Hyponomeuta." 



XV. I 



