TORTIIICID.E. — DICTYOPTERYX. 1C9 



The pretty insects which I have associated together in this genus 

 may be known by the pale colours — generally yellowish — of their 

 anterior wings, which are very beautifully reticulated with a darker 

 shade (whence the name) ; the hinder margin is generally very acute, 

 being rather deeply emarginate, so as to give a falcate apex ; the 

 surface is nearly smooth, having but few raised scales, and the costa 

 is not ciliated, as in some of the foregoing genera : the species are 

 extremely variable. 



A. Anterior wings with the hinder margin subfalcate, acute: — Amelia, 



Huhner f 



Sp. 1. contaminana. Alis anticis straminds ruj'o pulcherrimi reticulatis, costd 

 basi fascidque media sinuosd bifida ustulatis, ciliis albis. (Exp. Alar. 7 — 

 8§ lin.) 



To. contaminana. Hiibner. — Di. contaminana. Steph. Catal. ii. 189. No. 7105. 

 Harris Exp.pl. xxviii.J". 2, 3. 



Anterior wings pale straw-colour, or yellowish, prettily reticulated with 

 reddish-brown, with a distuict streak at the base and a broad waved fascia 

 behind the middle darker brown, the latter suddenly bifid towards the costa, 

 forming a Roman Y : the extreme hinder margin is reddish-brown, and the 

 cilia white : posterior wings whitish. 



The base of the whigs is sometimes straw-colour from its origin ; at others it 

 is broadly brownish ; and the ground colour varies slightly, being occa- 

 sionally ferruginous or reddish. 



Very abundant from July to September in woods and copses within 

 the metropohtan district ; likewise taken in East Kent, Norfolk, 

 Suffolk, the west of England, &c. " Gibside."" — G. Wailes, Esq. 



Sp. 2. ciliana. Alis anticis ferrugineis fusco rufove reticulatis, fascia media 

 ubliqua costali saturatiore. (Exp. Alar. 7 — 9 lin.) 



To. ciliana. Hiibner. — Di. ciliana. Steph. Catal. ii. 187. No. 7106.— Ph. To. 

 obscurana. Donovan, xii. pi. 374. f. 2. 



Anterior wings ferruginous, faintly reticulated with fuscous or red, with an 

 obscure oblique short waved dusky fascia in the middle of the costa, rather 

 darkest towards the disc ; the extreme hinder margin is also dusky ; cilia 

 white, with the hinder portion dusky : posterior wings whitish or very pale 

 brownish; cilia whitish. 



Rather variable : in some examples the wings are more deeply reticulated than 

 others, and the ground colour varies considerably in tint, being occasionally 

 of a lighter or darker testaceous or straw colour; and there is sometimes an 

 oblique dusky fascia towards the base. 



Common during the end of summer and the beginning of the 



