ACTING TATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
79 
galls were of the same year’s growth, and inhabited by the gall-making larvae at or 
shortly before the time that the Moth made its appearance. Thus we see that the very 
same moth inhabits in the larva state plums that are infested by Curculio, Black-knot 
that is infested by Curculio, an Elm-gall that is generated and inhabited by Plant-lice, 
and an Oak-gall that is generated and inhabited by a Gall-fly.* 
In the two latter cases my Plum Moth is clearly a Guest-moth ; but whether it con¬ 
fines itself to feeding on the substance of the gall, or whether it also destroys the gall- 
makers, aud whether, if it destroys them, it feeds on them, and, in the case of the Plant- 
louse gall, whether it may not feed partly on the sugary dust secreted from the body of 
the insect, are all of them points that remain to be investigated and explained. Most 
authors state that the larvae of this entire Order (Lepidoptera) are almost exclusively 
vegetable-feeders ;t and some have even gone so far as to say, that they feed entirely on 
vegetable food.J But, as Harris has well observed in the passage referred to in the note, 
there are certain species that feed in the larva state on our woollens and furs, and even 
on leather, meat and lard —all five of which are, not vegetable, but animal substances ; 
and it is well known that certain other species infest in the larva state collections of 
dried insects. Moreover, I have long been inclined to suspect, that the larvae of partic¬ 
ular moths feed habitually, not only on dead animal substances, as in the instances 
quoted above, but even on the living bodies of other insects. The Rev. Mr. Green, of 
England, in his admirable little work on Pupa-digging, has stated some facts, which 
certainly seem to prove that there are Cannibal Caterpillars, as well as Cannibal Beetles 
and Cannibal Flies. For he says that the larvae of a small moth had swarmed for years 
in his breeding-cages, in spite of all that he could do, devouring by wholesale the pupae, 
from which he was endeavoring to rear various kinds of moths.§ 
tion, which says nothing of any such cloud. The male fly of Cynips q. sculpta I have never yet met with 
In any case, Harris’s description (of his nubilipennis) is so brief and indefinite, that not being sufficient 
to identify either the gall or the insect satisfactorily, it should be entirely neglected and thrown on one 
side, and we should adopt Mr. Bassett’s two names. To follow any other rule in such cases as these, is 
simply holding out a premium to slipslop, slovenly describers, who are the curse of Science.—See Osten 
Sacken in Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. TV. pp. 355-6. 
* Similarly, I have bred the small moth Gelechia gallaegenitella, Clemens, from a Willow-gall made by a 
Gall-gnat, and likewise from two distinct kinds of Oak-galls made by Gall-flies. Also Batrachedra salici- 
pamonella, Clemens, another small moth, from a Willow-gall made by a Gall-gnat, and from two very dis¬ 
tinct Willow-galls made by two distinct species of sawflies. (See Proc. Ent. Soc. Phil. VI. p. 273.) I may 
add here the hitherto unpublished facts, that I bred on June 26th from the Oak-gall Quercus inanis 0. S., 
which is made by a Gall-fly {Cynips), the Anorthosia punctipennella of Clemens ; and three other distinct 
species of small moths, respectively, from three other distinct Oak-galls, two of which are made by Gall¬ 
flies and one by a Gall-gnat ( Cecidomyia). In all these cases, and in many others which I have pub¬ 
lished, the moths are clearly guests in galls made by other insects. 
-j- W r estwood Introd. II. p. 331; Harris Injur. Insects p. 258; &c, <fcc. 
I Latreille Gen. Crustac. Insect. IV. p. 185; Wallace Malayan Papilion. in Transact. Linn. Soc. XXV. p.2. 
g Since the above was written I have received the following valuable information from II. T. Stainton, 
the distinguished English Lepidopterist: “ You are quite right in saying that several lepidopterous larvae 
are carnivorous. Amongst the JVoctuse, Scopelosoma satellitia and Cosmia trapezina , and amongst the 
Geametridee, Crocallis elinguaria are larvae to be carefully avoided by those intent on rearing other larvae. 
The larva of (Ecophara pseudospretella is the mortal foe to the choice pupae of the collector, and Diplodo- 
nia marginepunctella is evidently addicted to carnivorous appetites, and adorns his case with the mutilated 
bodies of his victims.” 
