116 
Note on names and food of some species of Plicatce.-Scoparia cratccgalis {c 
gella, Hub.) -This name implies that the larva of this species feeds upon 
haw-thorn {CratcBgus oxyacantha). Nothing can be more injurious to eutomolo 
science or to our progress than to give an insect a name from a plant it does 
feed upon ; a recent instance of this is afiforded by Scoparia ulmella, the sp. 
name of which appears to have misled one of our most acute practical friends 
Ent. M. Mag, Vol. 6, p. 41). Having bred most of the genus Scoparia, , 
present constituted, I may say that so far as T know they feed exclusively , 
hepatics, mosses, lichens, and algce (Confervce). Thus. Scoparia craicgalis I 
upon Hypnum elegans and Jungermannia dilatata ; as do also S. cemhreUa (can, 
Haw.) and the old mercurella (mercumlis) ; muralis (murana, Curtis) feeds , 
Orimmea pulvinata (the cushion-moss), in company with Cramhus falsellus 
hneolalis (lineola, Curtis) feeds upon and lives under Parmelia parietana an 
ohvacea, lichens which grow upon rocks and old thorns, &c. ; and S. resh 
{resmea, Haw.) feeds upon Stigoneura mammUlosa and Oscillatoria autumn 
hvmgm galleries under the Conferva, and also on Bryum cespitosum, when grow 
as this moss frequently does here, amongst the above Algce at the bases of d; 
walls, &o., on road sides. That some of these species eat other allied plan 
know, but I am not aware of any Scoparia or Cramhus which finds sustenance v 
trees or shrubs, except that the mosses and lichens they eat sometimes grow i: 
them and that the perfect insect often shelter upon or amongst their foliage : t 
have no connection with any arboraceous plants as food; and, thinking i 
these hints may be us(^ful to any young friend who may venture into the li 
known question of the food of our PUcatce or CramUdcB, or both, I may say, "d^ 
look for larvis of Scoparia cratccgalis on hawthorn hedges, or for those of Craw 
ptnetelUs upon fir-trees, but rather upon the lowest order of plants."-lD. 
[We cordially agree with Mr. Gregson, that it is most undesirable to f( 
specific names of insects from those of plants, on the bare supposition that 
larv^ feed on such plants, and that few things are «' more injurious to scienc 
But why, does he, with so keen an appreciation of pm-ity in nomenclature, asi 
to prmt such names as "^niaw^^odarf2/^^«" and ^^ scaliodactylus'^ (see his fori 
communication) ? On the continent, hybrid names (half Latin, half Greek), si 
as j^wncMaciyius and parmdacij/ius are universally ignored in the published Li.« 
and Mr. Gregson must be prepared to see his species above quoted share the sa 
oblivion as " MilUeridactylus," " Schmidtifonnis," &c.-Eds.] 
Note on period of appearance of larva of Polia nigrocincta.-Mr. Doubleday st 
I have made a mistake in my - accounts » of the larva of this species. I can oi 
repeat my statement, that with mo the eggs obtained at the Isle of Man hatcb 
as reported at p. 64, vol. vi, Ent. M. Mag. ; that the larva is there described, 
accurately as I can " word-paint," in its various stages, and in every way correctl 
and that from it was produced the insect known to us as Polia nigrocincta. 
By a mistake in punctuation, in line 5 of p. 65 of the above-mentioned vol 
appear to state that this larva makes its puparium "during the day-time-" th 
expression was intended by me to refer to the preceding sentence, in which 
habit of concealing itself is referred to. At line 11 of the same page, ah 
" Duchau " should be " Onchan."— Id 
