20 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW PLUME MOTH FROM CEYLON, 

 WITH SOME REMARKS UPON ITS LIFE HISTORY. 



By T. Bainbrigge Fletcher, R.N., F.E.S. 

 With Figures in the text. 



Trichoptilus paludicola, n.s. 



Male 12 — 13 mm. Head and thorax brownish-ochreous with a 

 few white scales intermixed. Palpi grayish ; terminal joint white, 

 fuscous at base ; second joint reaching middle of face, about two- 

 thirds of third. Antennae ciliated (1), whitish, narrowly annulated 

 with dark fuscous, with a black line above. Abdomen ochreous- 

 brown, longitudinally striated with numerous black and white scales, 

 the latter more developed towards base of abdomen and tending to 

 form obscure transverse bands at distal extremities of segments ; 

 apex of abdomen with two obliquely ascending divergent hair- 

 pencils and with long hairs concealing genitalia. Tibiae white, longi- 

 tudinally streaked with black ; posterior tibiae dilated with dark 

 fuscous scales and slightly tufted at points of emission of spurs ; 

 spurs long (proximal about 1*4 mm., distal about -8 mm.) ; tarsi 

 banded with black. 



Forewings cleft from before middle, segments linear ; brownish- 

 ochreous with scattered dark fuscous scales ; usually a few white 

 scales mixed with black along basal half of costa ; a black spot 

 followed by a white one on inner margin near base ; sometimes a 

 suffused white central streak reaching from base nearly to cleft ; a 

 patch of dark fuscous scales on lower inner edge of cleft : first seg- 

 ment slightly suffused with darker fuscous, with a white bar before 

 its middle and another midway between the first bar and apex, 

 extreme apex usually with some white scales ; second segment with 

 corresponding but less distinct white markings : cilia dark gray on 

 costa barred with white opposite white fasciae and usually white at 

 apex, on lower margin of first segment mixed with white below 

 fasciae and with some black scales in middle, on upper margin of 

 second segment with a row of black scales between two patches of 

 white scales opposite fasciae and a few black scales nearer apex, on 

 lower margin of second segment with a white patch of scales before 

 cleft, another (obsolescent) below proximal fascia, and a third before 

 apex, with four tufts of black scales, first at one-third of segment, 

 last apical. 



Hindwings cleft firstly from before one- third, secondly from base; 

 segments linear ; dark fuscous ; cilia gray : third segment without 

 any scale-tooth on inner margin. 



