PTEROPHORID^—LEIOPTILUS. 3S7 



At dusk it flies vigorously and generally ; often coming to 

 the light of a gas-lamp, more rarely to that of a window ; 

 and also is very commonly to be seen feeding on the honey 

 of an ivy blossom, or at sugar spread for Noctua:, or over- 

 ripe blackberries. After hybernation it is equally tempted 

 by the sweetness of the sallow-bloom, but frequents it more 

 especially on cool moon-lit evening?, and not so much on 

 those warmer and darker nights on which it is so greatly 

 frequented by Xoduce. Apparently common throughout the 

 United Kingdom to the Orkneys, though less so in the north 

 of Scotland ; but in Southern districts very plentiful. Also 

 throughout the Continent of Europe, Asia Minor, Armenia, 

 Persia, the trans-Caucasian region, the Canaries, Madeira. 

 Xorthern Africa, and North America from Maine to 

 California. 



Genus 9. LEIOPTILUS. 



Antennae simple, the basal joint slightly thickened ; palpi 

 short, slender, pointed ; head smooth ; fore wings rather 

 short, cleft to one-third of their length, the segments rather 

 broad, but not angulated behind; hind wings deeply divided, 

 but the segments or lobes slender ; no dark tuft on the 

 hindmost. Legs long, slender, the tibiae not thickened 

 nor the feet tufted. Wings usually laid tolerably flatly in 

 repose. 



We have five species, readily discriminated. 



A. Fore wings glossy pale drab or yellow-drab. 



B. Two black streaks on the costa before the apex. 



L. lienigianu>i. 

 B-. A black spot on the costa near the discal dot. 



L. microdactylus. 

 B*. No black mark on the costa. Z. tephradactylus. 



A-. Fore wings shining pale yellow without markings. 



L. osteodactylus. 

 A^. Fore wings black-brown with pale fascise. 



L. hrachydactylus. 



