8298 



Insects. 



whether the young larva appropriates the down in constructing its 



case. 



I annex a list of the insects whose bodies have been eaten by these 

 larvae since they have been in my possession : — Pygaera bucephala (1), 

 Arctia lubricipeda (4), A. Menthastri (2), Bombyx neustria (1), Pla- 

 typteryx unguicula (1), Xylophasia lithoxylea (2), Aplecta tincta (1), 

 Ephippiphora foeneana (1), Tortrix viridana (4), T. adjunctana (1), 

 Adela Degeerella (1), Yponomeuta evonymellus (3), Plutella xylostella 

 (1), and Musca Caesar (2). 



2. Renewed Observations on the Carnivorous Propensity of the Larva 

 of Talceporia pseudo-bom bycella. 

 In May, 1860, I sent you an account of the carnivorous propensity 

 of this larva. On the present occasion I purpose giving you a short 

 account of my renewed observations on its carnivorous habits. De- 

 sirous of testing their carnivorous habits more fully, I collected 

 several larvae and placed them in a jam-pot, and fed them entirely on 

 dead insects. 



The following is a list of the insects whose bodies have been eaten 

 by these larvae at the present time: — " Eupithecia coronata (2), 

 Tortrix rosana (1), T. corylana (1), T. unifasciana (1), T. viridana (1), 

 Scardia cloacella (1), and portions of the bodies of two Tipula hortorum. 



Some of these larvae are now leisurely feeding on the bodies of some 

 Yponomeuta evonymellus. At the end of June I brought home three 

 fresh larvae, and put them into the jug containing the larvae of Diplo- 

 doma marginepunctella, along with which larvae they fed, to all 

 appearance in perfect harmony, during the months of July and August. 

 I never observed them feeding on anything else than the bodies of the 

 insects in the jar. 



3. Economy of Psyche roboricolella. 

 The eggs of this species are laid inside the case, covered with 

 down, and when the larvae are born they envelop their bodies in the 

 same. This is an old observation, made in 1860, since which time I 

 have been unable to meet with the larva again, in order to fully test 

 its carnivorous habits. 



4. Economy of Xysmatodoma melanella. 



The female of this species lays her eggs inside her case. The eggs 

 are covered with down, and the young larvae appropriate the same in 

 fabricating their cases. 



1 have not yet observed this larva to have a carnivorous taste. 



