i8ia.] 103 



not come under my eye, or I should not now be compelled, with regret, 

 to controvert it. 



In the "Entomologist " for December, 1881, the editor inserted a 

 plate, consisting of figures of recently noticed vai'ieties and novelties, 

 and among them a figure of Catoptria decolorana. In this, Mr. Car- 

 rington did good service, for the figure repi-esents the genuine insect, 

 and was, ver}^ liktjly, taken from that of Herrich-Schaffer, but it does 

 not seem to have occurred to anybody to notice that this figure did 

 not represent any known British species, and nost assuredly not that 

 reared from flowers of SoUdago ; consequently, decolorana has appeared 

 as a British insect, not only in Mr. South's adaptation of Staudinger 

 and Wocke's catalogue, but in every labelling and exchange list pub- 

 lished since, or nearly so, and the name is to be seen in nearly every 

 cabinet of recent arrangement. I cannot say that this error has been 

 overlooked for ten years, but inasmuch as I had already (Ent. Mo. Mag., 

 vol. xvii, pp. 82 — 4) stated rather fully the evidence upon which the true 

 names of the two species under consideration rested, I hardly felt called 

 upon to interfere further. But recently, in looking through Sorhagen's 

 " Kleinschmetterlinge der Mark Brandenburg," I find that this error 

 has found its way to Germany, and that my (totally innocent) friend, 

 Machin, is there credited (page lo7) with the statement that the larva 

 of decolorana feeds in seed-heads of Solidaqo virgaurea. 



As the larva of this species is (I believe) unknown, it is quiLe 

 time to check the dissemination of this error. 



Of the true decolorana I have specimens sent by the late Prof. 

 Zeller as types. They are slightly smaller than cemulana, of an 

 extremely pale yellowish-grey, almost without definite markings, but 

 with a few brownish flecks, which become more abundant beyond the 

 middle. The costal streaks are visible, but very faint, and the ocellus 

 or "shield" is visible from being devoid of brown flecks, and encloses 

 two short faint brown lines. The wings have no trace of the distinct 

 angulated fascia and basal markings seen in cemulana, in fact, deco- 

 lorana is as suitable a name as it could have. It inhabits eastern and 

 central Germany, and north and east Russia. 



39, Linden Grove, Nunliead, S.E. : 

 January, 1801. 



Pempelia adelpheUa. — Concerning continuity of error, it may be well again to 

 point out that, with all respect for published lists, there is not a particle of evidence 

 to show that Pempelia adelpheUa, Frr., has ever been taken in fliis country. It is a 

 very pretty species, found, I believe, in Germany and Russia, and which, if only for 

 its beauly, would be most welcome here, little likely as it is to occur. It resemblea 



