PHYCITID^—NEPHOPTERYX. 423 



sometimes in numbers, but it seems very closely restricted to 

 the neighbourhood of the sea, and is there constantly kept in 

 check by the practice of cutting and burning the furze. Its 

 principal haunt is along the shores of the Solent, and the 

 coast next the New Forest, both in Hants ; and in the Isle 

 of Wight ; also found in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, but 

 very probably it extends further along the coast. It seems 

 certainly to be absent from other portions of the British 

 Isles. Abroad it is also commonly a coast-frequenting 

 species, but is found in Central and Southern France, Spain, 

 and Corsica. 



2. N. similella, Zinck. — Fore wings silky grey-black or 

 slate-black ; first line a curved yellow-white stripe ; second 

 obscure. Hind wings pale grey. 



Antennae of the male simple, but the basal segments 

 thickened, and the second thickly tufted, black ; palpi rather 

 short, curved up, grey-black, as are the head and thorax ; 

 abdomen rather slender, glossy grey, faintly barred with 

 white. Fore wings narrow at the base, rather expanding ; 

 costa gently and regularly arched ; apex bluntly angulated ; 

 hind margin rather oblique and but little curved ; very 

 smooth and shining, srrey-black or slate-black ; the first line 

 broad and conspicuous, yellow-white, either straight or faintly 

 curved, broadest on the dorsal margin, but much obscured 

 or obliterated as it reaches the costa ; second line very faint, 

 cloudj- white, rippled and much waved ; no other markings ; 

 cilia shining, slate-black. Hind wings moderately broad, 

 rounded behind, glossy, smoky-grey, more glistening toward 

 the front margin ; faintly edged by a slender white line ; 

 cilia shining grey. 



On the wing in May, June and July. 



Larva somewhat tapering in front and behind, smooth, 

 shining with a greasy gloss, and studded with fine single 

 hairs ; body uniformly black ; head similar, smaller ; mouth 

 and dorsal plate brownish. 



