PHYCiriD.ii—MyELOIS. 19 



inches round a twig, and working down in the same 

 manner. 



Pupa moderately plump ; the wing cases long ; the 

 abdomen bluntlj' tipped, and terminating with seven minute 

 bristles curled at their extremities ; deep mahogany brown 

 and very glossy ; the abdominal divisions darker brown. In 

 a cocoon of grey silk among the twigs of its food-plant. 

 (W. Buckler.) Or frequently in the earth. 



The moth is rather secret in its habits and is rarely seen 

 in the daytime. Doubtless it hides among blackthorn, and 

 at night it flies strongly, and will visit gas-lamps at a con- 

 siderable distance. The great majority of specimens in our 

 collections are, however, reared — the larvas being somewhat 

 readily traced by the webbing of silk which they spin down 

 the stems of their favourite stunted sloe or hawthorn 

 bushes. 



Decidedly a local and even rather uncommon species here, 

 but frequent in the New Forest and Isle of Wight ; also 

 found in Kent, Surrey, Dorset, Cornwall, Somerset, Berks, 

 Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Herts, Gloucestershire, and Hereford- 

 shire. So far as is known this is the extent of its range in 

 these Islands. Abroad it is found in many parts of Central 

 and Southern Europe ; and in Armenia, and Asia Minor. 



Genus 12. MYELOIS. 



Antennas simple, hardly thickened, but bent back near 

 the base ; palpi slender and curved up ; tongue broadly 

 thickened with scales in front ; thorax and abdomen rather 

 stout, the latter pointed behind ; fore wings elongate, broad 

 behind, cell long and narrow ; hind wings ample with long 

 ■tufts from the base ; vein 5 absent. 



We have three species — very diverse : 



A. Fore wings snow-white with black dots. M. cribrdla. 



A-. Fore wings shining straw-colour. M. cirrigcrella. 



A^. Fore wings slate gre}\ M. ccratoniw. 



