SERICORID^—PHL CEODES. 



99 



central band, of the ground colour, notched and toothed 

 outwardly ; costa spotted with twin white dots ; apex brown- 

 black ; cilia grey tipped with black. Hind wings and their 

 cilia smoky brown. Female similar, but devoid of the costal 

 fold. 



Underside of the fore wings leaden black, with white costal 

 twin dots. Hind wings pale lead colour. 



On the wing from the end of May till the beginning of 

 July. 



Larva apparently undescribed. Reported to feed in 

 April and May in the catkins of birch. There can hardly 

 be a doubt that it feeds on birch, but some authors add 

 poplar, or alder, which are less probable. 



A local species, and difficult to obtain, since it sits during the 

 day high up in birch trees, probably on the branches, and is 

 hard to beat out ; however, when disturbed it flies away so 

 quickly that a confederate collector is usually necessary to 

 stand far back to leeward and catch it as it approaches the 

 ground. It is said to have been at one time fairly common in 

 Kent, but for very many years has been rare, and scarcely 

 ever taken anywhere, till it was found twenty-five years ago 

 in Norfolk. So far as can be ascertained, it is confined with 

 us to these two counties, and Surrey, Sussex and Essex. 

 Abroad it inhabits Central Europe and Armenia. 



4. P. crenana, Huh. — Expanse | inch (12 mm.). Fore 

 wings narrow, squared behind, very glossy, rich black-brown 

 with the dorsal region occupied by three lighter or even 

 white blotches. 



Antennte black ; palpi, head, and thorax brown-black • 

 abdomen reddish brown. Fore wings narrow, costa folded 

 at the base and nearly straight, apex squared, hind margin 

 perpendicular ; black-brown or reddish brown ; in the middle 

 of the dorsal margin is a rounded white blotch, followed by 



