NEPTICULA. 297 



condition, and cspeciall}' brod specimens, as the liabit of the larva, 

 its colour, and the form and colour of its cocoon, freciuently arc 

 invaluable helps to prove the distinctness of s])ecies, and it is only 

 during the last two years that we have learnt how to collect these 

 larva;, so that this branch of the study is completely in its infancy. 

 The twenty-nine British species may be arranged in the follow- 

 ing table : — 



a. Anterior wings witlioiit spots or fascia?. Species 1-0. 

 a a. Anterior wings with pale sjjots, no fasciae. 



h. Witli a single nhiuite pale spot on the iimer margin. Species 7-9. 



b b. W'\\\\ two opposite pale spots. S])ec'ics 10-13. 



h b h. With two opposite pale spots and a broad basal streak. Spe- 

 cies l-t. 



h b b b. With three pale spots. Species 1.5. 

 a a a. Anterior wings with pale spots and a pale fascia. Species Ifi. 

 a a a a. Anterior wings witli a pale fascia. 



c. The fascia indistinct and rather dull. Species 17, IS. 



c c. The fascia distinct, bright, frecpiently metallic. Sp. 19-29. 



1. atricapitella. Haw. L. B. .55.5 (1*^29); Step.; Sta.— wj«k- 

 tella (^ , Zell. ? Alls anlicis saturale d'uciv, posticc violaeeis ; capillis 

 afris. Exp. al. 3 lin. 



Head blac/r. Face yellowish. Palpi whitish. Antenn'.e !)lack, 

 basal joint whitish. Anterior wings c/fn-/>- bronze, posteriorly shading 

 to violet ; cilia pale grey. Posterior wings grey, with paler cilia. 



Common in May on the trunks of oaks, or on fences ; occurs 

 more sparingly in August. The larva mines the leaves of the 

 oak in July, September, and October, but has not yet been dis- 

 tinguished from other larvtc of a similar liabit. 



2. ruficapitella, Haw. L. P. 580 (1829); Step.; Sta.samla- 

 tclla ? , Zell.? Alls anticis (lUnla (Oicis, apicem versns violaeeis; c:i- 

 YiiWis fe/rur/ineis. Exp. al. 3 lin. 



Head and face reddish-yellow. Palpi whitish. AntcMunc fuscous, 

 basal joint whitish. Anterior wings rather pule bronze, with the apex 

 violet; cilia greyish. Posterior wings pale grey, with paler cilia. 



Common on the trunks of oak, or on fences, in May; also ap- 

 pears, though less plentifully, in August. The larva nuiies the 

 leaves of the oak in July, and in September and October. 



3. anomalella, Goeze, E. P. iii. 4. 108. 290 (1783); Sta.— 7?^- 

 sdla, '6(Aw.—r>iJlcapitellit, Ecwis (Knt. iMag. i. 422). Alis anticis dl- 

 luUssime ane'is, pone medium dilitiioribus, apicc obscure violaceo; ca- 

 pillis luteis (intcrduni atris). Exp. al. 2.j lin. 



Head and face bright yellow (sometimes black). I'alpi whitish. 

 Antennae fuscous, basal joint whitish. Anterior wings very pule bronze, 



VOL. III. 2 Q 



