320 LEI'inOPTERA. 



a root-feeder. It is an abundant species, occurring in 

 thousands on chalk hills, downs, and dry open fields, but is 

 usually not common in woods ; moreover it does not love to 

 sit upon tree trunks, but hides among grass and rough 

 herbage near the ground, or on loose stones and rocks. It 

 flies up in a lively manner at every footstep in such ])l;ices, and 

 buzzes about a little while tolerably' swiftly, to settle down 

 again ; but about sunset begins to fly of its own acconi, and 

 very soon is to be seen hovering over the grass in multitudes 

 in every direction. Common everywhere in England, and' 

 in Scotland to Perthshire and Aberdeenshire, though much 

 more local in these northern districts ; also found in Wales 

 to Pembrokeshire and doubtless everywhere. In Ireland it 

 may be more local, yet is common about Dublin and recorded 

 from such extreme districts as Cork, Kerry, Donegal, and 

 Deny. Abroad it is a well known species throughout 

 Central and Southern Europe, the South of Sweden and 

 Norway, Finland. Livonia. Dalmatia. Syria. Asia Minor, aiid 

 Armenia. 



7. S. mtirana, ('^irt. — E.xpanse \ inch (Ui-T.) mm.). 

 Fore wings long, narrow at the base, greyish-white or pale' 

 olive-grey ; markings grey-black — sinuous, clouded, and 

 rippled; discal spot an 8-mark with white centres. Hind: 

 wings grey-white. 



Antennre of the male rather long, simple, black-ljrown 

 dotted with white ; labial palpi elongated, rather drooping, 

 black-brown, with the upptM- margins white : maxillary palpi 

 short, white shaded with black; head and thorax greyish- 

 white, or olive-white, dusted with black ; abdomen glossy 

 greyish-white. Fore wings elongated, with the base narrow ; 

 costa well arched ; apex Ijluntly angulated ; hind margin 

 oblique, genth' curved; dorsal margin rather full ; greyijh- 

 white or greenish-white, dusted with black ; basal line 

 suggested by two black spots followed by a dusted band ; 

 first line black, erect but a little indented, shaded outwardly 



