case of Coleophora conapicuella looks very much like a black peaextraordinarily black, and stuck by one end to a leaf.

pod in miniature, LX. Fig. 3 is shmvn the Eeu Feather {Tische-

On Woodcut from its colour and the feathery

Ha complanella), so called

i character of its wings, the upper pair being warm orange with a longitudinal black bar, as seen in the illustration. This is another of the oak-feeders, and the perfect insect is common everywhere during the earlier part of the summer. The name Red Feather is almost a literal translation of Stephen’s name of I'ufi'pennella, which he gave to it, but which could not be retained because the name complanella was of earlier date. The larva of this insect is shown at Fig. d.

The next group of Tineas are all leaf-miners in the larval state. The name of this group is the Lithocolletidse. The object of this name I really cannot determine. It is derived from two Grreek words, the former signifying a stone, and the latter to glue or cement. Taken collectively, the words may either signify a stone-cementer, or something that is inlaid or cemented with stone. Perhaps the colouring of the wings may have given some notion of a mosaic wall, which is made of small cubes of stone cemented together.

A riGUEE of one of the prettiest of these very pretty insects is given on Woodcut LXI. Fig. 1 , very much magnified. The scientific name of this insect is Lithocolletes corylella. No popular name has been given to it, so I shall call it the Brown Dolly, because the brown markings on the white wings bear, when viewed from base to tip, a certain resemblance to a rude wooden doll. It is really a very pretty insect. Viewed with the naked eye, it is so small that the shape of the markings is wholly invisible, and all that can be seen is a white surface profusely sprinkled with brown, or a brown surface spotted with white. But, when the magnifying glass is brought to bear upon it, the markings are seen to be very clearly defined. I have examined a considerable number of these beautiful little Moths, and in none of them was there any noticeable variation.

Although but few colours are employed in the decoration of I f: the little Moth’s plumage, it is a most beautiful insect, the rich brown and pure creamy white being contrasted in a wonderfully bold manner. There is a slight difference in the colour of the sexes, the upper wings of the male being soft creamy-white, while those of the female are cold grey-white.

Upon their surface hre drawn the rich brown markings shown in the illustration. The fringe is whitish-grey. The under wings are gTey, fringed with a much lighter hue, and darkening at^| the base. The sides of the head are yellow, and the face"^ ; snowy-white ; the thorax is of the same colour as the upper^| wings, and the abdomen is grey, ended with a tuft of very pale

Lithooolletes coryVlla. 2. Kepticula aurella. a. Lithooolletes, larva. d. Nepticula, larva.

The larva is represented at Fig. a, very much magnified.

When living it is about as long as the capital letter I, and

indeed, could not be much larger in consequence of the

character of its home. Its coloiu’ is pale yellow, with a

blackish-brown head, and a patch of deep orange upon the It burrows into the lea\es of the hazel

ninth segment. from which it obtains its specific name

{Corylus avellana),

corylella.

Tins little creature is common upon its food-plant, and can easily be obtained by rearing it from the larval state. I find that nearly all leaf-miners are easily reared. They require very little trouble, and the collector is free from the everconstant labour of procming food, -wbicb is a serious tax on anyone who cannot pay a substitute to do it for him. But, with leaf-miners, there is scarcely any trouble at all, and the following directions will be found amply sufficient. Cut off the twig on which grows the mined leaf, and bring it home. In order to ascertain whether the larva is still inside the leaf, hold it up to the light, when a short, opaque line will at once detect its presence. Tie a piece of fine gauze loosely over the leaves, put the stem in water and all is done. These little creatm-es go through their transformations very quickly, and in a comparatively short time the beautiful little Moths may be seen fluttering within their gauzy prison.

The gauze bag, with its living burden, is then slipped into the laurel-bottle, and the Moths can then be set.

It is very easy to say that such Moths must be set, but to set them is a very different business. They are so very small that to get even the slenderest of pins through the thorax is quite out of the question, and they must thei'efore be mounted on card. It is best done by taking some very white card-board, moistening the surface with transparent cement, laying the Moths upon it, and drawing their wings into position with a very fine needle-point. As soon as the cement is dry, the card-board can be cut up into strips, so as to have the Moth at one end of the strip and the pin at the other, just as is done with small beetles. I have seen a number of these Microlepidoptera thus displayed on a piece no larger than a lady’s visiting card, the effect of their glittering wings being absoli lutely gorgeous when a bright light was reflected upon them.

The last of the Tinese which we can mention in this work is ): the Golden Pigmy {Nepticula aurella), which is shown on f Woodcut LXI. Fig. 2. This is a very much magnified figure, as n can be seen by comparing it with Plate XVII. Fig. 7, where ij it is represented of its natural size. ‘ ; This very common insect affords an admirable example of ' f the Tinese, its small size and glittering hues being two of the

I 1

characteristics of the group. The upper wings are leading rich brown with a golden gloss and a tendency to purple the middle. Across the middle runs a broad diagonal beyond

of shining gold, which, under the microscope, is absoband lutely painful to the eyes from its splendour. were this minute insect only as large as our common

Indeed, would be acknowledged to be the most peacock butterfly, it insect in the world, and even the most gorgeous magnificent of the tropics would pale before its splendour. inhabitants is independent of such con- Fortunately, the entomologist siderations as mere size, for the microscope enables him to smallest insect to any dimensions that he wishes, enlarge the give to the smallest of insects all the pictorial so that he can they would have if they were many thousand effects which times their real size. Pigmy is shown at Fig. b. Ihis

The larva of the Golden in the leaf of the common bramble, and m caterpillar burrows of the devious tracks which are seen many cases is the cause path taken by these larvae seems in its leaves. The particular much a matter of choice. When very young, they to be very the presence of a nervure, and to seem to be deterred by of their track when they come across it, change the direction

liglit does not reflect the glittering metallic hues and with placing which trunks of trees, old palings, and similar localities, themselves so that the brown hue of their wings corresponds with that of the object on which they have settled, while the

nearly all the species are decorated. Eearing them, however, is, as has already been mentioned, extremely easy, and the only difficulty is to set them neatly without damaging their gorgeous plumage.

One of these Pigmies, N&pticula 'plagicolella^ is supposed to he the very smallest of British Lepidoptera. It is a most lovely little being, the wings being deep brown with a violet gloss, across which is drawn a glittering band of burnished silver. Another, N&pticula argentipedella, has the upper wings of a velvet black shot with violet, and a central band of pure white. Then, Nejpticula acetosella, has the upper wings dark shining bronze, crossed with a hand of rich violet edged with a line of pm-e white. Much has been done with these lovely little insects of later years, but rUuch more remains to be done, and if any of my readers will take up this one subject of the leaf-miners, they will find themselves amply rewarded for their trouble.

We are now among some very curious and withal beautiful insects, though none of them possess the magnificent colouring which distinguishes the lovely little Moths which have just been described. They are scientifically known by the name of Pterophoei, or Peather-Bearers, and bear the popular name of Plume Moths, on account of the structure of the wings. In those Lepidoptera which we have hitherto examined, the wings are formed of a thin membrane stretched between certain strengthening nervures, or wing-rays, the principal of a which radiate from the base of the wing. But in the Plume ti Moths there is no membrane, each nervure being furnished 3 with long, hair-like plumes by which the insect is sustained in the air. In the under wings, the nervures are separate nearly from the base to the tip, but the upper wings are from the middle. only divided I There are, however, exceptions to most rules, and such is the case with the Plume Moths, for there is one Plume Moth

called Adactyla, or Agdlstea Bennetii, which has scarcely the least appearance of belonging to this group of Moths, the wings not being divided at all. Tlie popular name of this Moth is the Plumeless Plume. It is found on our coasts, , the caterpillar feeding upon sea-loving plants, such as the j Thrift {Statice limonium). Both pairs of wings of ‘ Lavender this insect are very long, slender, and sharply pointed. The pair are yellowish-brown with a few small black spots, upper and the under pair simply pale brown.

The commonest and one of the prettiest of the Plume Moths is shown on Plate XVII. big. 5. It is popularly known as the Laege White Plume, the Skeleton, or the Phantom, all appropriate. Its scientific name is names being perfectly Pterophot'us pentadactylus. though simply coloured insect has the

This very beautiful and divided into separate plumes, as wings pui-e snowy-white, in the illustration. In all cases the feathering of the shown on the inner than the outer side of the plumes is much wider like the structure of an ordinary biids nervure, very much If the wings be examined with the microscope, it feather.

be seen that the long fringes which form the feathering will scales which cover the wings of are composed of the ordinary being drawn out to a great length. the Lepidoptera, such scale of scale is one of the leading characteristics o Indeed, length which clothe the base of the wings these Moths, and the scales length. When viewed by a are also remarkable for their have a satiny lustre, which quite disside light, these plumes viewed through a magnifying-glass, so appears when they are

to render each of the delicate filaments visible. as

itself dining the day, maHng its appear-

The Moth conceals about like a snow-flake driven at ance at dusk, when it flutters makes a long flight, but i random by the wind. It never flits a yard or two and again settles

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