1872.] 3 



piceana is also unsatisfactory, referring to but one variety, and that 

 by no means the commonest, and he also includes sordidana as a variety 

 of it, although this is actually synonymous with the next species. 



The beautiful and rather uncommon form which originally bore 

 the name semifuscana is of a deep purple-brown along the costa, and 

 creamy-white along the inner margin, with three projections of the 

 dark colour into the white, one before the middle obtusely angulated, 

 one much more acute from beyond the middle, projecting towards the 

 anal angle, and a third pointing inwards from the apex of the wing. 

 Another variety has the costa and inner margin fuscous, wdth a bronzy- 

 brown streak down the middle, widening regularly from the base. 

 But the more ordinary forms are dark brown, fuscous, purplish-fuscous, 

 ochreous-brown, or reddish-brown, all \\dth more or less distinct darker 

 markings, consisting of an oblique sJighthj indented streak from near 

 the base of the inner margin, meeting another from near the anal 

 angle, and thus enclosing a dorsal blotch hardly paler than the ground 

 colour. In the reddish and ochreous-brown specimens these streaks 

 form the margins of fascise which reach the costa, and towards the 

 apex there are some dark blotches. A very curious dwarf variety is 

 found in Lancashire, of a pale fuscous or cinereous colour, with only 

 a faint indication of the apex of the second dorsal streak, and has been 

 placed in some collections as sordidana : it is certainly a variety of 

 semifuscana. This species may be readily distinguished from both 

 Solandriana and sordidana by its more shining appearance, slightly 

 narrower fore-wings, and the pale or whitish-grey colour of its hind- 

 v.ings. 



The larva feeds on sallow, and the perfect insect may be found 

 among sallows from the end of July to the beginning of October. 

 Its haibit is to fly for about half-an-hour at dusk ; and it is rather easily 

 detected by an energetic collector through its pale hind-wings. Some- 

 times it flies again after dark, and is strongly attracted by a lantern. 



Pcedisca stahilana, Steph.^ — Wilkinson's description of this species 

 is also unsatisfactory, and, indeed, appears more applicable to the 

 reddish varieties of semifuscana ; yet, from his observations in larger 

 print, it is evident that sordidana, Hiib., is the species referred to, and 

 this correction has accordingly been made by Mr. Doiibleday in his 

 list, as well as by Dr. Woeke. 



This species is far m.ore constant in colour than Solandriana and 

 semifuscana, being of a dull, pale brown, covered with a reticulation 

 of minute dark brown scales, upon the depth and abundance of which. 

 its shade of darker or lighter colour depends. Its markings are very 



