Insects. 



0215 



blotch on the upper side of the leaf, the egp^-shell beinf^ a very conspicuous object on 

 ihe centre of llie l)lotch ; the mine afterwards is extended much beyond tlie ?ray cen- 

 tral portion, the outer area heing pale green. It is not a little sinjjular that Nepticula 

 Septembrella and Cemiosioma lustratella feed on Hypericum, and the mines are often 

 mistaken by ihe uninitiated ; and that two species, so to speak, perfectly parallel, 

 Nepticula cryptella and Cemiostoma lolella, feed on the Lotus; and their mines 

 might readily be confounded by one not personally acquainted with them. The leaves 

 sent appear to be Lotus major, not corniculatus, but pvubably it will feed on both spe- 

 cies. — H. T. Slain ton ; July 5, 1858. — From the ^Intelligencer.' 



A new Mine on Centaurea. — The day before yesterday I made a curious discovery : 

 I found, at the edge of a wood, the leaves of Centaurea jacea tenanted by a mining- 

 larva : the larva is very slender, of a yellowish g^reen, spotted with black, with head 

 and second segment pale brownish : the mine radiates in different directions, like those 

 of Druriella and Heydeniella. The larva abides over the midrib, beneath the loosened 

 skin, and only sallies forth into the mine for the purpose of eating. I have only 

 found a few, and am very curious to know what they will produce. — Professor Frey, 

 Zurich; June 23, 1858. — Id. 



The Centaurea jacea Miner. — T have no doubt that by this time Professor Frey is 

 as much astonished as myself at the change which has come over the appearance of 

 the caterpillar. The yellowish green look which they had is now gone, and thev may 

 fairly rank amongst the prettiest of the micro larvcP. They are now of a pale yellow 

 colour with a dorsal line, and two others on each side of it, bright pink. The lines are 

 slightly interrupted at the junction of the segments. As they approach the ante- 

 penultimate segment these lines become united, so that the terminal segments are of a 

 uniform pink colour. The head and corselet still retain their pale brown appearance, 

 and the posterior edge of the corselet is now bordered by a darker line. The two rows 

 of dark spots also remain on each segment, four of which posteriorly and two 

 anteriorly are the most conspicuous, and from each of these starts a single hair. I 

 am half inclined, despite their very gay appearance, to believe ihem to be the larvse 

 of one of the Depressarite. — John Scott ; Southfield Villas^ July 17, IS58. [On the 

 contrary, we believe they will produce a new species of Cosraopteryx. — H. T. Stainton.'\ 

 —Id. 



[Botanists in this country have invariably assigned ihe name of Centaurea jacea 

 to the very common Centaurea nigra. Are the two species thus named on the Con- 

 tinent really distinct? If not, search the common knob-weed (C. nigra) for this 

 miner. — E. A^.] 



Abundance of Psyche nitidella. — I had been sugaring all night at Wickham, and 

 in the morning searched the fence with my usual success, — which is none, — and, feel- 

 ing sleepy, lay down on the bank by the fence and dozed a little: presently I was 

 disturbed by something fluttering in my face, and opening my eyes recognised Psyche 

 nitidella: turning for my net to catch him I saw that there was a little swarra of 

 them flying about me, and as fast as I could take them they continued to come round 

 me as long as I continued lying on the ground ; when 1 got up, thinking to take them 

 better, their interest in me seemed to cease, and I could take but few, and by six 

 o'clock there was not a specimen to be seen; but I had secured about forty: it was 

 about five o'clock when I first discovered them. 1 cannot understand what aitracted 

 them ; there did not seem to be any females about, at least I could see none, nor any 

 cases, and the specimens I have bred do not seem to care much about the females. 



