gg [March, 



seems better to eliminate species that can be separated by structure 

 rather than to extend the generic definition to include species which 

 differ from the type. The genera belonging to the Elachistid group 

 of the Hyponomeutidae are in a plastic condition, and one of the 

 difBculties in appreciating what the variation really means is, that 

 such descriptions as " 4 and 5 sometimes stalked or coincident 

 (Meyr. HB. Br. Lp., 6S5) do not inform us whether this variation 

 occurs in the same species, or whetlier different species included in 

 the genus differ in these respects. If tlie former, the generic de- 

 scription must obviously be extended, if the latter, the variation is, 

 if not actually generic, tending to become so. It is really important 

 that the actual nature of such variation should be exactly indicated 

 in each case. 



3539:2. — Apostibes oriseolineata, sp. n. 



Antennae bone-grey, the basal joint paler. Palpi bono-whitish. Head and 

 Thorax bone-grey. Foreioings pale bone-whitish, shading to bone-grey towards the 

 dorsum, this colour cut longitudinally by slender pale bone lines following the 

 neuration to the apex and termen ; there is also a line along the middle of ihe 

 cell, which, together with those coming from tlie base along its upper and lower 

 margins, gives to the wing-surface an appearance of indistinct radiating and diverg- 

 ing lines running through a shady ground-colour which fades out along the costa ; 

 cilia bone-grey, with a sliglit brownisli tinge. Exp. al. 14 — 17 mm. Ilindwings 

 rather rosy grey ; cilia pale brownish cinereous. Abdomen bone-grey. Legs bone- 

 whitish. 



Type, S (96185) ; ? (5832). Mus. Wlsm. 



Hab.: Biskra, 9.III. — 30.IV.1903 (Wlsm.); 1 — 2.V.1894 

 (Eaton); Hammam-es-Salahin, 19-15. 1V.1904, 16-17. V.1903 (Wlsm.). 

 Eleven specimens. 



CTo he continued). 



THE GROUSE-JLY, OENITHOMYIA LAGOPODIS, sp. n. 

 BY D. SHABP, M.A., F.R.S. 



I Lave always supposed that the grouse-fly was the same as the 

 common bird-fly that one meets with occasionally in various parts of 

 the country ; but I have never till recently received specimens that I 

 knew to come from the grouse. I was, therefore, very glad to take 

 advantage of an offer made to us by Mrs. L. Duff Dunbar (by the 

 intermediary of Dr. Jenkinson) to send us specimens from the grouse. 

 On receiving a good series sent by her from Caithness, I was very 

 much surprised to find them the same as a specimen I had myself 



