i88().i 209 



[This species was taken by the late Mr. G-arneys and myself in 

 flood refuse in June, 1879, in large numbers, at Eepton, Burton-on- 

 Trent ; it has not been found in Great Britain either before or since 

 that time ; it appears, also, to be a rare species on the continent. 

 Aube's figure bears no resemblance to the insect, but, as M. Brisout 

 says that his types are identical, my proposed name cannot stand. — 

 W. W. F.] 



214, G-reen Lane, Smallheath, 



Birmingham : November, 1885. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE LAEYA OP SCO PARI A ANGUSTEA, CURT., 

 = COARCTALIS, ZELL. 



BT G. T. PORRITT, F.L.S. 



At the beginning of September, 1884, Mr. G^. H. K. Crosland, of 

 this town, brought to me for determination a number of specimens of 

 this species, which he had taken during August on the north side of 

 our cemetery wall. As this wall is within five to seven minutes' walk 

 of my own residence, and as, whenever I had wanted to collect an- 

 gustea, I had found it necessary to take a railway journey of over 

 seven miles, and then sometimes not even see the insect, I was con- 

 siderably astonished when Mr. Crosland told me he had counted as 

 many as sixty specimens on the wall at one time. I had worked all 

 round the locality with tolerable regularity for towards twenty years 

 and yet had never seen a specimen within miles of the place ! 



Consequently, it was with much pleasure that on the 21st of July 

 last I accompanied Mr. Crosland to the wall, where, on stripping off 

 the moss, we soon found in plenty both full-fed larvae and pupae of a 

 Scoparia, which, as I saw at once, did not belong to muralis, we had 

 no doubt would prove to be angustea. This was further confirmed 

 by our finding before we left the wall, even at that early date, a single 

 fine imago of the species. As I passed the wall three days later — on 

 the 24th, — I found two more images, and a week later again I picked 

 ofi" twenty specimens. On this day — the 30th, — also appeared the 

 first specimen from the larvae and pupae I had collected. For a week 

 or so from that date, the species was in great plenty, but towards the 

 middle of August seemed to be rapidly decreasing in numbers, though 

 Mr. Crosland told me he noticed specimens on the wall well into 

 September. Altogether, including a nice series bred from the col- 

 lected larvae and pupae, I set about 120 beautiful specimens. How I 

 missed the species for so many years, supposing it to have been always 

 there, is to me a mystery. 



