I.ARENTID.-E— THEKA. 357 



silk and sand ; sometimes on the surface of tlie ground among 

 rubbish, or under moss. (C. Fenn.) 



The moth hides during the dny in tlie lirauches of fir trees, 

 among the needles, and is so jilcntitul in the early summer 

 that it seems hardly possible to jar or beat a Scotch fir tree 

 anywhere without dislodging one or n)ore specimens, which 

 come iiuttering and swaying to the ground, or in hot 

 weather fly headlong away. Occasional specimens may be 

 found sitting upon the truulcs, or trodden up from dead fern 

 or brambles below, but the vast majority sit in the trees, and 

 fly around them at dusk, .\fter dark they will often come to 

 the sugar spread to attract Sodiui, but on the approach of a 

 light usually fly off. Apparently plentiful in every fir wood, 

 and to be met with about isolated fir-trees, throughout Eng- 

 land and Wales ; and in Scotland to Moray in the east and 

 to the Hebrides in the west. Abundant also in suitable 

 places throughout Ireland, and in (Jalway so much so that 

 Mr. J. J. Walker likens the multitudes to be seen in Merlin 

 Park to a brown snow-storm. Abroad it is found throughout 

 Central and Xortheru Europe, the north of Spain and of 

 Italy, Livonia, Finland, Greece, Eastern Siberia, the moun- 

 tainous regions of Central Asia, North-east China, Corea, and 

 Japan. 



o. T. simulata, Huh. ; coniferata, sinintdn. — E.^panse 

 1 inch. Fore wings rather narrow, pale purple-brown ; basal 

 blotch, and broad perpendicular central band, deeper purple- 

 brown, edged with black, and faintly with white. Hind 

 wings silky, smoky-white with a purple tinge. 



Autenu;e of the male simple, ciliated, shining leaden-brown; 

 palpi pointed but small, dark brown ; face rr'ther convex, and 

 with the head and neck-ridge pale brown dusted with darker; 

 thorax purplish-brown, the back crest just perceptible; 

 abdomi-n smoky-brown ; lateral and anal tufts well developed. 

 Fore wings rather narrow; costa gently and very eveidy arched; 

 apex an^ulated : hind margin gcutlv curved and a little 



