SCOPARHD.^— SCOP ARIA. 329 



on old walls and d\'kes, inhabiting a slight tubular web in 

 the moss. 



Vvvk apparently undescribed. 



The moth sits upon tree-trunks by day, but usually in 

 open places rather than woods, and is then easily recognised. 

 At night it comes occasionally to light. Somewhat local yet 

 found in the South London suburbs, and almost throughout^ 

 l<]ngland aud iScotland, usually in very small numbers, but in 

 favoured spots, as near Brandon, Suffolk, abundantly, 

 l-'robablv scarce in the north of Scotland, thoug-h it is 

 recorded even from Shetland. Certainly its range is the 

 less known from its being often confounded with the next 

 >pecies. In Wales I only know it from Pembrokeshire. In 

 Ireland it has been taken near Dublin and in Waterford, 

 Cork, Kerry, and Galway. 



Abroad its range seems to extend all over the Continent 

 of Europe and Asia Minor. 



U.S. mercurella, lAiiii ; frequentella, Stn. Manual. 

 — Expanse \ to \ inch fl •">-!'•' mm. j. i-'ore wings rather 

 narrow, i-ounded behind, white or grey-white; iirst line 

 thickly shaded outwardly ; base, discal spot, and hinder 

 region clouded with black. Hind wings grey-browa or 

 whitish-grey. 



Antennae of the male simple, black-brown, faintly barred 

 at the back with white : labial palpi not long, rather trigonate, 

 black outside, greyish-white above and within ; maxillary 

 jialpi clearly separate, light grey ; head aud thorax greyish- 

 white, the latter sprinkled with black ; abdomen shining 

 pale silvery grey. Fore wings rather narrow ; the costa 

 nearly straight ; ajjex and hind margin rounded, and the 

 latter very little oblique ; greyish-white or smoky white ; 

 basal area much clouded with grey or black dusting; first 

 line erect but slightly curved, with a projection on the costa 

 toward the base, and a small tooth beneath it in the middle ; 



