This little group, which hus long been distinguished as a genus, 

 forms the 2nd division of Treitschke's Asopiae, and is included 

 by some authors with the Pyralidae (Hypena, pi. 288, &c.); 

 but there is every reason to believe that it is more nearly allied 

 to the Tortricidae (Pyralis Fab.), and if the caterpillars have 

 16 feet, Simaethis cannot belong to the Pyralidae, a proof how 

 much remains to be learned of these beautiful and interesting 

 tribes, when we find that the larvae of these moths, some of 

 which are frequently hovering about every flower of the Rag- 

 wort, are unknown. 



The Simaethes are remarkable for the peculiar manner in 

 which they carry their wings when they settle or walk, the 

 upper ones divaricating a little, and the external margin 

 slightly elevated, so as to discover the under wings. They 

 fly during the day, and are very lively when the sun shines. 



I shall not at present venture to offer an opinion as to their 

 location, for the structure of the Lepidoptera is so little known, 

 that, excepting the Papilionidae, and the outline proposed by 

 Latreille, I have seen no arrangement that gives me the slight- 

 est idea of their natural affinities. 



The following are our British species. 



1. S. Fabriciana im/z. Sj/st. Nat, 2. 880. 324. — Fabricii Halt;. 



471. 1. — Urticana Hub. Tort. pi. 44. / 273. ? — 

 Oxyacanthella Z(f;2w. 2. 886. 357. — Oxyacanthae Haw. 

 — dentana Hub.pl. l.yi 4. 5. — alternalis Treit. 

 Found from April to October on the Ragwort and other 

 plants in Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey, the Isle of Wight, Dor- 

 setshire, &c. 



2. S. pariana Linn.- Faun. Suec. 1341. — Hub. pi. \.f. I, 2. — 



par Haw. — parialis Treit. — lutosa Haw. 472. 

 Found in gardens in the autumn. Mr. Haworth's A. lutosa 

 is the same as Hiibner's fig. 1 ; it has been found the beginning 

 of March, but Mr. Dale took it the end of June on an apple- 

 tree at Glanville's Wootton. 



3. S. Myllerana Fab.—Curtis's Brit. Ent. pi. 320.— Mylleri 



Haw. 472. — Schestediana Fab. 3. p. 279. 152. var. ? 

 Taken by Mr. Dale the beginning of June and September 

 upon the Fern, Mint, and Sweet Gale, near Brockenhurst and 

 West Hurn Hants, and on Parley Heath Dorset. I also 

 took it in abundance a few years since on Nettles near Torquay 

 Devon in October, and it is found likewise on Thistles. 



4. S. punctosa Haw. Lep. Brit. ^'i'2,. 6. 



Mr. Haworth, I believe, has taken specimens in Ashdown 

 Forest, and Mr. Dale found it upon yellow flowers in Middle- 

 marsh- wood, Dorset, the 9th and 1 5th of August. 



The palpi and the antennas of the males, in these 2 species 

 differ considerably from the two first. 



The plant is Mentha hirsuta (Hairy Mint). 



