1891-] 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



257 



feeding in the roots of plants, which may be successfully pursued 

 during this and the two following months. 



It is certainly a time of year when the attractions of the fireside 

 and easy chair are hard to resist, but the enthusiasm of a true 

 entomologist often leads him away from such temptations, to some 

 desolate looking locality perhaps, far away in the country, or on the 

 sea coast, where he knows the plants he is in search of are most likely 

 to be found. What to him is the gale of wind that is blowing, be it 

 ever so cold, or the discomfort of walking over muddy, broken ground; 

 nothing at all. The very time of year tells him what to expect, and 

 he goes equipped accordingly, then he can defy such trifles, for he is 

 sustained by the thought of the splendid condition of the species he is 

 sure to breed, if he is only successful enough to get together during 

 the winter season, a good supply of roots containing larvae from 

 various localities; and also by the pleasure he will have in being able 

 to help his friends to many bred, very local, and possibly rare species. 



We will now again take one of our pleasant rambles in the 

 country, for it is indeed a pleasure, be the time of year what it may, 

 to stroll along the lanes in company with a friend of kindred tastes, 

 each animated by the same desire to elucidate the life-history of some 

 of the species that are still unknown. We must not forget to take a 

 good sized strong bag, a sharp knife, and a firm trowel, or better still 

 a long sharp chisel, with which to dig up the roots, for some go deep, 

 and must be got up with as little injury as possible and transferred to 

 the bag, till we have sufficient to carry conveniently. The experience 

 we have gained during the previous months in collecting larvae from 

 the leaves and seeds, is now of use to indicate the places where the 

 plants w^e are in search of are to be found, although the leaves and 

 seed heads by this time have disappeared. 



The dead stems of the mugwort ( Avtemisia vulgaris), will no doubt 

 be the first plant to attract our notice. W^e must now examine the 

 bottom of the stems, about an inch or so from the ground, and in some 

 we shall see little heaps of frass exuding from small holes in the sides. 

 This is caused by the larvae of E. fceiieaiia, D. sijiipliciaiia, and very 

 probably E. alliselln. We must cut off" the stems to within an inch 

 of these holes, and dig up the root, no easy matter if the root be an 

 old one; it is impossible at this time to tell whether E. allisella is 

 there, but m the spring when the Artemisia is some inches above the 



