252 LEPIDOPTERA. 



Not everywhere plentiful, but apparently existing in all 

 such suitable places in England and probably Wales, where 

 it is fairly common in the South. In Scotland it is known 

 to occur in Perthshire, Dumbartonshire, and Argyle ; and in 

 Ireland in the woods of the Wicklow Mountains, near Cork 

 and in Kerry. Abroad it is generally' distributed through 

 Central Europe and in Sweden and Dalmatia. 



Family 2. CNEPHASIDiE. 



Fore wings broad and ample, somewhat ovate ; laid 

 closely and horizontally together when at rest ; ocellus 

 absent. 



Genus 1. ABLABIA. 



Antennee simple, slender ; palpi divergent, slender, por- 

 rected ; fore wings without the costal fold, glossy ; hind 

 wings furnished with a fine tuft of hair-scales in the middle 

 of the base. 

 . We have two species — very different : 



A. Fore wings shining creamy drab. A. osscana. 



A^ Pore wings bright silvery white. A. nrgcntana. 



1. A. osseana, Scop.; pratana, Hub. Wilk. — Expanse 

 I to ^ inch (16-22 mm.). Fore wings shining buff or pale 

 brown, with obscure black or brown dots down the middle. 



Antennae simple dark brown ; palpi, head, and thorax 

 pale dull brown ; abdomen dark brown ; and tuft ochreous. 

 Fore wings elongated and narrow, costa nearly straight : 

 apex bluntly angulated ; hind margin oblique ; pale creamy 

 drab, longitudinally shaded with light brown along the 

 nervures, and dusted and dotted with brown or black down 

 the middle, often having a brown disoal cloud or pair of dark 

 dots ; cilia drab. Hind wings long, pale smoky brown or 

 emoky white; cilia white. Female smaller, sometimes 

 much so, the fore wings more pointed and greyer in colour. 



