CONTRIBUTIONS TO HISTORY OF THE BRITISH PTEROPHORI. 31 



In fact, one example, bred from a pupa obtained at Southend, is 

 smaller than either of the farfarella. In a most interesting 

 account of sundry excursions in Prussian Posen (Ent. Mo. 

 Mag. vi. 48), Prof. Zeller sa3's : " I . . . . started from the edge of 

 the ditch a Platyptilia, which appears very like gonodactylus, but 

 is strikingly smaller, and therefore deserves a close examination, 

 especially since I have found specimens precisely similar in other 

 places. I immediately suspected that there must be Tussilago in 

 the neighbourhood, and truly found, on making a more accurate 

 investigation, that a short distance from the spot were a few 

 plants of Tussilago farfara, which had established itself here, and 

 which had previously escaped my notice." In a subsequent life- 

 history of farfarella by Zeller (Stett. Ent. Zeit., 1870, pp. 310-815), 

 the larva is said to feed in the root-crown and flower-stalks of 

 Senecio vernalis ; but it has also been stated to feed on the 

 under side of colt's-foot leaves. 



Platyptilia isodactyla, Zell. 

 Imago. — Expanse, 10-12 lines. Fore wing : ground colour pale 

 ochreous-brown, with a greyish discal suffusion, and some ill-defined dark 

 brown markings, one of which is a blotch, more or less triangular in shape, 

 situate on the costa ; the hind margin is broadly banded with dark grey- 

 brown, margined internally with a line of pale ochreous brown, a black spot 

 at the apex of costal triangle, near the digital juncture ; fringes pale grey ; 

 tip of outer digit slightly pointed. Hind wing: grey-brown, fringes paler 

 at the base, and with some black scales about the inner margin of third 

 feather, but not forming a distinct tuft, as in P. gonodactijla [trigonodac- 

 tylus). Head and thorax colour of fore wings; abdominal junctions paler. 



Mr. Barrett says there are two broods of this insect, — one is 

 on the wing in June, and the other in August and September. A 

 description of the larva and pupa, by the late Mr. Buckler, will 

 be found in Ent. Mo. Mag. viii. 154. 



Amhlyptilia acanthodactyla, Hiibn. 

 cosmodactyla, Hiibn. 

 punctidactylus, Haw. 



Imago. — Expanse, 8-11 lines. Fore wing dark grey-brown, with a 

 reddish suffusion, a small dark spot on the inner margin between the base 

 and middle of wing, a dark spot about the middle of costa, followed by a 

 blackish costal triangle, a broad blackish fascia traversing both digits, 

 bordered externally by a narrow whitish line, and internally on the outer 

 digit only by an ochreous cloud ; fringes whitish, with a tuft of black scales 

 on the middle of inner margin, and a smaller one between this and outer 

 angle ; the internal fringes of outer digit are tinged with fuscous. Hind 

 wing dark grey -brown ; fringes grey- brown ; third feather with a tuft of 

 black scales on its inner margin. Head and thorax colour of fore wings ; 

 abdominal junction white. May, June, August, September. 



Var. a. — Fore wing ochreous grey, with a rosy tinge; markings as in 

 the type, but more clearly defined and with oblique striae, similar to the 

 same character in cosmodactyla, but not so conspicuous. September. 



