30 2 LI.OYDS N-^TURAL HISTORY. 



Dinrnea fagclla, Stephens, 111. Brit. Ent. Haust. iv. p. 237 



(1834)." 

 ChimabaccJie fage/la, Stainton, Ins. Brit. Tineina, p. 15 (1854); 

 Von Heinemann, Schmett. Deutschl. (2), ii. p. 132 (1870). 



The Marsh Dagger is a native of Temperate and many parts 

 Southern Europe. The male expands upwards of an inch, 

 and the female two-thirds of an inch. The fore-wings are 

 whitish-grey or pale ashy-grey, with two dark brown transverse 

 stripes, commencing at the costa, but not reaching the hind- 

 margin. The first of these, which is near the base, is dentated, 

 and bordered on the inner side with white. The second is in 

 tlie middle of the wing, and on it are several dots. Behind it 

 is a faint light brownish spot. In front of the fringes, which 

 are streaked with brownish and whitish-grey, is another zig-zag 

 line of coarse scales, and from the first to the second transverse 

 line runs a waved longitudinal line, sometimes wanting. The 

 entire surface of the wings is, moreover, coarsely dusted with 

 brown, with here and there scattered blackish dots. The hind- 

 wings are uniform ashy-grey or whitish-grey, with grey and 

 white fringes. ' 



The female, which usually sits on the stems of trees, and is 

 unable to fly, but which can run very fast if disturbed, has 

 very long pointed palpi which, like the head and thorax, are 

 ashy-grey. The abdomen is brownish-grey, with whitish rings. 

 The fore-wings are lanceolate and raised. They resemble the 

 abdomen in colour, and are crossed by two black transverse 

 lines, the area between forming a dark band, which contains 

 three raised black dots forming a triangle. There are also 

 raised yellowish-brown atoms on the surface which make the 

 wings appear uneven. The hind-wings consist of pointed 

 stumps, and are pale ashy- grey. 



The larva lives on oak, beech, birch, poplar, &c. The head 



