1892.] 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



193 



RANDOM NOTES ON BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



BY JOHN E. ROBSON. 



New Species of Coleophor^. — Mr. John H. Wood, in the 

 Entomologist's Monthly Magazine" for May, June, and July last, 

 contributes an interesting paper on "Our Rush-feeding Coleophorae," 

 in which he introduces to our notice three new British species, two 

 being new to science. In the "Manual," he tells us, only two rush- 

 feeding species are given ( C. murinipenella ixndcccspHitiella ), both inland 

 species. Since then, two others (adjunctella and obtusella), both 

 exclusively coast insects, have been added. Mr. Wood's attention 

 was directed to the ovipositors of the species, and it is the result of 

 this investigation, which he gives in detail in the article referred to. 

 As the three new species, as well as the other two inland species, 

 occur within three or four miles of his own door, he thinks it more 

 than likely that other species are waiting to be differentiated, indeed 

 he intimates that he has another himself, only waiting emergence to 

 be described. His new species are thus summarized : — 



Sylvaticella, n. sp. — A large insect ; fore wings greyish white. Flies 

 in woods in May. Larva on luziila sylvatica ; two years in 

 feeding up. 



Alticolella, Zell. (new to Britain). A small insect ; forewings 

 yellowish ; antennae annulated in the inner face with pale 

 fuscons. In fields and woods, in July. Larva on Jnnciis lampro- 

 carpus, more rarely on other species, in autumn and early winter. 

 Glaucicolella, n. sp. — Very like ccrspititiella , but yellower ; antennae 

 as in Cfespititiella, or sometimes in 2 entirely white. Flies in 

 July. Larva on several kinds of J uncus, most partial to J . glaucus, 

 not full fed till spring, case whitish. 

 It is exceedingly interesting to find, whilst our friend, Mr. Pierce, 

 is settling many of our difficulties by an investigation of the genitalia 

 of the males, that the ovipositors of the females present equally 

 trustworthy characters, where the ordinary superficial ones are barely 

 sufficiently for our purpose." 



Deiopeia pulchei.la. — Mr. South, in the " Entomologist " for 

 July, gives an account of the occurrences of this pretty species in 

 Britain since 1869. From this 1 find there were 30 specimens 

 recorded in 1871, 18 in 1874, 24 in 1875, 23 in 1876, and only 31 in all 

 the other twenty years, 8 of which have been taken this year. Since 

 the p)ublication of the article other four specimens liavebeen recorded, 

 making the present one of the best year for the species. Mr. South 

 writes :—" I am not aware of the larva of the species having been 

 found in England," but Mr. E. L. Layard, in the field for i8th June 



