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oo eee eee a ae eS — het 
296 NEPTICULIDS. 
The habits of this genus are very interesting. The perfect in- 
sects repose on the trunks of treees, on palings, etc., but unless 
the collector be cautious, he will find on his too near approach they 
take alarm ; they run exceedingly nimbly, and keep swaggering a 
little from side to side as they run, looking the very impersona- 
tion of minute importance; when on the wing they fly rather 
quickly (though nothing in comparison to their alacrity in run- 
ning), and have much the appearance of minute Diprera. Some 
species fly of their own accord in the early morning: thus WV. pyg- 
meella is on the wing about sunrise in August ; and when every- 
thing is quiet on a calm dewy morning,—the spiders’-webs with 
their spangled drops reflecting the beams of the rising sun,—it is 
a pleasant sight to see this minute insect darting backwards and 
forwards among the hawthorn-leaves, evidently in the acme of 
enjoyment. It happens that this species is not remarkable for 
the brillianey of its colours, but in this genus are to be found 
the humming-birds of the Trvurna ; and the lovely WV. gratiosedla, 
reflecting nearly all the colours of the rainbow, dances in little 
swarms round the twigs of hawthorn, in the blaze of the mid-day 
sun. 
The larvee of this genus are very peculiar: the six anterior Zegs 
so universally present in Lepidopterous larvee are wanting, and 
they are replaced by membranous processes or prolegs, yet neither 
on these segments, nor on the remaining segments, each of which 
is furnished with a pair of prolegs (making eighteen in all) have 
the prolegs the usual coronet of little hooks; these larvae are 
consequently bad hands at walking, which nevertheless they have 
to do when full-fed, for then they quit the mine in which they 
have hitherto lived, and seek a fit place for their cocoon. The 
mines are always flat, generally of an irregular serpentine form, 
though sometimes spiral, and sometimes forming a complete 
blotch; when held to the light, the larvae can be distinctly seen, 
and their colour and markings recognized. ‘The cocoons are, I 
believe, generally formed on the ground amongst the fallen leaves ; 
at any rate, in such situations the larva: form them in our breed- 
ing cages; and it is a very singular fact that, though solitary in 
the larva state, we always find that the cocoons are made in com- 
pany, sometimes a dozen between two leaves. ‘The cocoons vary 
considerably in colour, texture, and form, according to the 
species. 
The species of this genus are exceedingly numerous. I have 
no doubt I have several others than those here enumerated, though 
to enable me to describe them I require more specimens, in finer 
