THE WEEKLY ENTOMOLOGIST, 
53 
lichenivorous, and that Stainton in 
his Manual is decidedly correct, not 
only in description, but correct also 
as to time &c.” I suppose Mr. Arm- 
strong ; is himself of a “confiding” 
nature: otherwise I can see no reason 
for his “trusting” that’ I shall be 
satisfied of the accuracy of an alleged 
fact, concerning which he does not 
give a single tittle of evidence. My 
complaint against the Manual is, that, 
in many instances, descriptions of 
larvos are given therein, on the au- 
thority of Foreign Entomologists, 
when descriptions by British Ento- 
mologists of the same larva were in 
the Author’s possession, but were 
passed by, or rejected. I do not, for 
a moment, presume to question the 
accuracy of the foreign descriptions 
as to foreign insects, but I am quite 
prepared to maintain, that, in many 
instances, those descriptions do not 
apply to British specimens of the 
same insect. Let us take the instance 
in question. A description of the 
larva is given on the authority of 
Zeller. I unfortunately did not par- 
ticularly notice the caterpillar, so 
that I cannot assert that the descrip- 
tion is incorrect, but I certainly 
have no recollection of taking such a 
larva. As I gather that Mr. Arm- 
strong has bred the insect, he will 
perhaps describe the larva for 
us. The Manual then goes on to say 
(I suppose on the same authority) 
that it (the larva) is found in May, 
and again in July, and that it feeds on 
lichens on the fir trees. But I find 
it, at the end of August — it feeds on 
lirch — and there is not a fir tree in j 
the Forest. Surely then, in default oi 
of any testimony to the contrary, I 
have at least a right to infer that 
Zeller’s description does not apply to 
this country. Mr. Armstrong' himself 
partially confirms my view, for 
he says, “it is taken occasionally 
among Eirs of age and standing.” 
But this passage is a little confusing, 
for “ Glair aria is plentiful in the 
North and is confined to oak and birch 
woods, where lichen abounds,” but, 
in the very next paragraph we read 
“ it does not confine itself to such 
localities ” One other point, — Mr. 
A. says, “ occasional larvae of this 
insect, as well as of many others ap- 
pear after the perfect insect has flown 
and passed away.” What does this 
mean ? I should have thought that 
all larvae appeared under these condi- 
tions, and that the fact of Mr. A’s 
taking the perfect insect in July was 
the strongest corroboration of my 
finding the larva in August. 
I can say, with all sincerity, that 
I shall feel personally obliged to Mr. 
Armstrong, if he will give us (from 
his own experience, and not from the 
Manual) some account of the larva — 
when he has found it — or from what 
he has beaten it — what he has fed it 
upon — when it was full fed, and lastly 
a description of the larva itself. I 
believe there are many, who, like 
myself, would be glad to have this 
information. Hev. J. Greene, Cubley 
Rectory. March 21. 18G3. 
Proposed New List of Insects . — I 
have been for some time preparing a 
