80 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



THE CRAMBI OF SCOTLAND. 



By William Reid, F.E.S. 



The Scotch Crambi are very diversified in their habits, 

 and may be found in every variety of rough grassy places, 

 from the coast sandhills to the summits of the highest 

 mountains. Many fly about merrily in the bright sunshine 

 on quiet days, others prefer the cool of the evening, while 

 several are more or less nocturnal in their habits. The com- 

 monest species in Scotland are Crambus pratellus, culmellus, 

 and tristrellus, which are widely distributed, and com- 

 mon everywhere. Dumetellus, pascuellns, hortuellns, mar- 

 garitellus, and perlellus are also fairly common, but local. 

 Geniculeus is recorded on insufficient authority. Inquinatelliis 

 is very local, though possibly not rare. Pinetellus is only found 

 in or near fir woods, and is almost nocturnal in its habits. 

 Ericellus and furcatellns are mountain species, and are rather 

 scarce in collections. Myelins, though widely distributed, is 

 always considered a prize. 



The genus may be characterised as follows : Imago — 

 Antenna, simple, or slightly ciliated. Palpi, prominent, 

 always much longer than head. Fore-wings, oblong, twice 

 as long as broad, tip blunt or produced to a point : most of 

 the species have a longitudinal white streak or dash along 

 centre of wing from base, and an angulated transverse line 

 near hind margin. Others are nearly unicolorous, without 

 markings. Hind-wings, ample, folded longitudinally in 

 repose. They rest on grass stems with the head downwards, 

 and the wings wrapped tightly round the body. The larvae 

 are quite unknown to me, and I am obliged to Mr. Leech's 

 little work on the British Pyralides for any notices appended 

 to the various species. 



To facilitate identification, I have divided the genus into 

 seven sections, characterising each section separately, and, 

 where essential, each species comprised in the section. By 

 this means I do not think it will be necessary to enter into 

 minute details, and will only notice the more prominent 

 features in my descriptions. 



