390 l.EFIDOPTERA. 



The moth is a slugf^ish and lazy creature. It hides during 

 the day in the thick masses of its food plant, or in the weeds 

 beneath, and is very difficult to disturb, even when aroused, 

 creeping out with great unwillingness. It flies in the late 

 dusk, and will occasionallj- come at night to the light of a 

 gas-lamp ; but it is by no means a conspicuous species at anj- 

 stage. Extremely local, perhaps more frequent in Norfolk 

 than anywhere else with us ; but found also in Suflblk, Kent, 

 (Surrey, Devon, and the Isle of Wight. This, I think, is the 

 extent of its range in these Islands. Abroad its distribution 

 is not very wide — Central Europe, Central Italy, and 

 Livonia. 



2. L. tephradactylus, 5'«&.— Expanse f to | inch 

 (18-22 mm.). Fore wings short, broad behind, glossy pale 

 drab, dusted with black ; two minute dots lie before the 

 fissure, but there are no other noticeable markings. Hind 

 winofs shiningr whitish-drab. 



Antennte of the male rather long, simple, pale drab ; palpi 

 very small, pale brown ; head and thorax whitish-drab ; 

 abdomen whitish-brown. Fore wings short, the two lobes 

 broad and both bluntly pointed ; costa faintly arched, but 

 more so towards the apex ; dorsal margin not hollowed ; 

 whitish-drab, with very faint longitudinal shades of dusky 

 dusting mixed with a little dusting of black ; just before the 

 middle is the faint indicatlou of a blackish dot; and just 

 before the fissure a pair, a little more distinct ; there are also 

 indications of faiut dark dots on the lobes ; cilia grey brown, 

 or smok3'-brown. Hind wings well divided, the lobes rather 

 broad, pale silvery-grey, the cilia more tinged with brown. 

 Legs whitish-brown. Female similar. 



Underside of the fore wings shining pale drab, with browner 

 lines along the nervures, and a smoky tinge along the hind 

 margin. Hind wings pale silverj^-grey. Body pale drab or 

 pale yellowish-brown. 



On the wing from the end of ^M ;iy till July. 



