5828 Inserts. 



collected several of these a few days ago. Mountain ash is tenanted by another spe- 

 cies besides Aucupariae, with a very peculiar compressed spiral mine, and dark yellow 

 larva: I found four of them, for the first time, this afternoon. Last season I met 

 with Vimineticola, very rare, in osiers, but failed in breeding them. Most of the 

 Nepticulae are said to be double-brooded : my short experience inclines me to the 

 opinion of a succession of broods. From June to October the larvae of several species 

 are always to be found. Plagicolella, like subbimaculella, has the singular habit of 

 several larva?, occasionally occurring in a single blotch mine. Among the singular 

 freaks met with in this genus may be mentioned the following : — A month ago I 

 placed a large birch leaf, tenanted by ten full-grown argentipedella, in a glass jar. 

 A few days ago I examined this leaf: the former tenants had left and spun their 

 cocoons, and the leaf was now occupied by nine nearly full-fed Betulicola, traversing 

 the leaf in all directions. Of course the eggs were upon the leaf when I got it, but 

 unobserved. We constantly meet with one or more larvae in a leaf apparently not 

 large enough to supply them with food. Strange to say, in the case I have mentioned, 

 the perfect insects were quite as fine as others with a whole leaf to themselves. Of 

 all the Nepticulae, Weaveri is the most extraordinary. The singular appearance of 

 the leaf of Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea when the larva is full-fed, with the cocoon inside the 

 leaf, and elongated and lying between an upper and lower layer of silk, is a marvel of 

 workmanship. The insect is exceedingly difficult to rear. I collected a sufficient 

 number of full-grown larvae, had they produced moths, to have supplied most collec- 

 tions with specimens. T bred some three dozen only, which were most irregular in 

 their appearance, from June 21 to August 24. Had ichneumons made their appear- 

 ance it would have been satisfactory in accounting for my mishap. On opening the 

 cocoons the great bulk contained a shrivelled larva, which had apparently died of 

 utter exhaustion in spinning these astounding cocoons. — R. S. Edleston ; Bowdon, 

 September 26, 1857. 



Natural History of Nemotois Dumerilellus. — The case, which is very similar to 

 that of Nemotois violellus, is found in spring (April) on the dry slopes of our Douan- 

 berg, so well wooded above: it keeps much concealed on the ground amongst grass 

 and other low plants, especially where Hieracium Pilosella grows abundantly. The 

 larva does not appear very particular in its eating, and devours readily the blossoms 

 of several low plants. In captivity they first gnawed the lower and rather dry leaves 

 of Hieracium Pilosella ; afterwards I offered them the blossoms of several early 

 flowering plants, Gentiana verna, Anemone nemorosa, and later Helianthemum vul- 

 gare, which they ale with avidity. They were always very sluggish and well con- 

 cealed. In the beginning of June they assumed the pupa state, when the cases 

 were almost buried in the earth or amongst the roots of grass, so that only one end 

 of the case was visible. The perfect insects appear towards the end of June ; our two 

 specimens came out on the 23rd and 25th of June. As in Nemotois violellus, the 

 pupa-skin protrudes a long way out of the case. Probably the larva of Nemotois 

 Dumerilellus feeds in autumn, in a juvenile form, in the fructification of some low 

 plants perhaps of Hieracium, "and afterwards forms a case in which it winters on the 

 ground. — Ottmar Hofmann ; Ratisbon, September 1. — From the 'Intelligencer.' 



Beware of the Wasps. — A few evenings ago I started with an un-entomological 

 friend to beat some ivy for moths, expecting, from the nature of the evening aud the 

 bloom on the ivy, an abundant harvest. My friend held an inverted umbrella under 

 the bushes : 1 thrashed away with a stick. Down came blossoms, leaves, and divers 



