THE YOUTO 



NATURALIST. 



181 



were described, and even of these, one 

 species, albimacula, was recorded on the 

 authority of a single specimen that had 

 been taken no less than forty years before. 

 The occurrence of one of those since added 

 to our list is equally doubtful, or perhaps 

 rather more so, though it is an insect quite 

 likely to occur in Britain, which is within 

 its range. 



The name of the genus is undoubtedly 

 derived from that of the botanical genns 

 Dianthus, the larvae of several of the 

 species feeding on the seeds of some 

 plant ot this or other nearly allied genus. 

 It will be found too that many of the 

 specific names are derived from this 

 habit of the larvae, e.g. Carpophaga, a seed 

 eater ; Capnncola, the inhabitant of a 

 capsule ; Cucuhali, from Cucubalus laccifer 

 ( the Berry campion) ; Ccesivs, from Dianthus 

 ccesius, (the Cheddar Pink), &c. ^ The 

 abdomen of the female is modified to enable 

 it to deposit its eggs in the capsules of the 

 plant. This cannot be better described 

 than in the words of Mr. Stainton, "abdomen 

 crested at the base, in female terminating in 

 an elongate cone, with a more or less 

 protruded ovipositor. ' ' Besides the necessity 

 of the female visiting the flowers for the 

 purpose of depositing its eggs, both sexes 

 are very fond(in common with many other 

 species) of the nectar so freely produced by 

 them, and they may be taken in June 

 hovering over the blossoms, many of which 

 are comparitively scentless by day, but 

 give out their sweetest odours to scent the 

 evening breeze. Perhaps Mr. Soutter will 

 tell us some day whether the plants are 

 benefited in any way by these little robbers, 

 and if their visits are necessary to the fertili- 

 sation of the flowers. If this be so, it would 

 be a curious illustration of mutual help, 

 the insect assisting in the production of the 

 seeds on which its future progeny are to 

 subsist. Though the larvae all live on the 

 ripe seeds, they vary more or less in their 



habits. Thus the larva of Carpojphagcu lives 

 in the capsule during the earlier stages 

 only, and afterwards comes out to conceal 

 itself by day under the lower leaves of the 

 plant, and climb up at night to feed, when it 

 may be found with the anterior segments 

 inside, and the posterior outside the capsule. 

 Capsincola on the other hand will remain 

 inside the capsule all its life, leaving one 

 when its contents are all eaten to seek 

 another that has not been touched. I am 

 not sure that these peculiarities of habit are 

 constant in the same species, and observation 

 should be directed to this point. Another 

 interesting problem is whether two eggs are 

 ever deposited in or on the same capsule, 

 either by the same species or by another, 

 and if not, how the female is able to detect 

 the first act of ovipositing. I have never 

 been able to find two larvae, even young 

 ones, in the same capsule, but that of course 

 proves nothing. 



The species have all a great family like- 

 ness, but are very easily distinguished from 

 each other when once they are known. The 

 stigmata are always either paler than the 

 ground colour or distinctly margined with 

 paler, and form an irregular triangular 

 blotch in the middle of the fore wings, with 

 the apex towards the inner margin. They 

 may be divided into two groups by the 

 colour of this blotch, which is white or 

 approximating to white in Albimacula, Cassia, 

 Corwpta, and Conspersa, and varies from 

 pale ochreous to brown in the other six 

 species. A brief description of each may 

 be useful, dwelling more on the points of 

 difference, so that specimens may be more 

 readily compared and named. I take the 

 names in the order in which they stand on 

 our lists. 



Irregularis. — Ground colour very pale 

 ochreous, almost white, marbled with three 

 or four darker shades of ochreous or brown. 

 The orbicular and reniform stigmata distinct, 

 and of the palest shade ; the latter has a 



