PYRAUSTIDjE—SPILODES. 247 



Pearl — which is ordinarily given to the group of species to 

 which it belongs. It is found in the London suburbs, though 

 not in such numbers as formerly, but is sufficiently plenti- 

 ful throughout the Midland, Eastern, and Western, as well 

 as the Southern Counties of England ; less common in the 

 more Northern districts, apparently not observed in Cumber- 

 land or Northumberland, and very rare in Westmoreland. 

 In Wales it exists in southern districts, but not always 

 commonly ; in the north, perhaps, in plenty, but confused 

 with the last species ; in Scotland it has been taken in Perth- 

 shire and near Aberdeen, but is certainly scarce ; in Ireland 

 it is common in the County Cork, yet with the exception of 

 a specimen at Sligo, scarcely seems to be known elsewhere. 



Abroad it is common throughout Central and Southern 

 Europe, including Corsica, and is found in Northern and 

 Western Russia, Asia Minor, Armenia, Tartary, Syria, and 

 Japan ; and I have received it — rarely — from South Africa. 



5. S. urticalis, Schiff. ; urticata, L. — Expanse \\ inch. 

 Thorax yellow ; all the wings silky white, broadly banded 

 and spotted with slate-black. 



Antennae rather long, simple, dull dark brown ; palpi very 

 short and blunt, black-brown, head and thorax light yellow ; 

 abdomen glossy, smoky black, with each segment edged with 

 yellow ; anal tuft pale yellow. Fore wings rather narrow ; 

 costa nearly straight three-fourths of its length, then a little 

 arched; apex angulated; hind margin faintly retuse, then 

 obliquely rounded ; silky white ; costa slate-black dusted 

 with yellow ; on the basal portion of the nervures is a thick 

 yellow frosting, which rather breaks up a slate-black basal 

 blotch ; first line a broad, sometimes broken, slate-black 

 irregular bar, beyond this is a large cloudy discal spot of the 

 same colour ; the second line arises on the discal margin as a 

 large similar cloudy blotch, attenuated and interrupted as it 

 bends outwards, it makes a beautiful curve up and broadens 

 again as it approaches the costa, being also much indented on 



