36 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



pale rosy pink ; tubercles inconspicuous, hardly raised above the surface 

 of the skin, two on each segment along dorsal area, from each of which a 

 single brownish hair of moderate length is emitted ; these hairs on the 3rd, 

 4th, and 5th segments curve forwards, those on posterior segments curve 

 backwards ; along the lateral area there is one wart with a moderately long 

 hair on each segment. Spiracles black. Prolegs pale brown. October. 



In seed-heads of Solidago virgaurea. The lai-v£e hybernated 

 among the dried heads of Solidago, some making a snug cocoon- 

 like retreat of the seed-down, others remaining without any such 

 protection ; and these assumed a reddish tinge during the winter. 

 Description of larva previously published, ' British Pyralides,' 

 p. 65. 



Pselnophorus brachydactylus, Tr. 



Imago. — Expanse, 10-11^ lines. Fore wing black, sprinkled with 

 ochreous-brown scales, especially on the disc, which seems in consequence 

 to be of a brownish black coloration, a small white dot on costa above 

 digital juncture, from which an ochreous line, sharply angulated at the 

 juncture, runs to the inner margin ; fringes black, ornamented with white 

 at the tip of outer and angle of inner digit ; there are also some white 

 scales edging the digital juncture, and a patch of white scales on the 

 fringes of inner margin at the termination of ochreous transverse line. 

 Hind wing blackish brown ; fringes of second feather grey from base to 

 middle, and white near the tip ; there are also some white scales at junction 

 of first and second feathers. Head and thorax colour of fore wings. 

 Abdomen brown, ornamented with lateral white spots. Legs brown ; tibiae 

 with one and tarsi with four white marks or rings. 



I have not seen a British example of this species. The above 

 description is taken from a continental specimen. The genus 

 Pselnophorus was founded by Wallengren for the reception of 

 brachydactylus (Ent. Tidskr. ii. 96). The larva is said to feed on 

 the under sides of the leaves of Prenanthes purpurea, also on 

 Lactuca muralis, in May and June. 



" The ground colour of the larva is pale dirty green ; dorsal stripe 

 darker, on each side of which is a row of tubercles bearing dark bristles, 

 followed by another row bearing one dark bristle and a few small hairs ; a 

 third row occurs lower down, crowned with white bristles. Frey." — Leech, 

 ' British Pyralides,' p. 66. 



Aciptilia paludum, Zell. 



Imago. — Expanse, 7 lines. Fore wing deep grey-brown, outer digit 

 traversed by two white fasoia-like streaks, edged with some black scales on 

 the costa ; fringes grey-brown, with some black scales at the tip and inner 

 angle of outer digit, the latter bordered on each side with white cilia ; the 

 inner digit has some black scales at tip ; two patches of black scales on the 

 inner margin, the first preceded and the second followed by white cilia. 

 Hind wings grey-brown, darker at the extremity of each feather-shaft, but 

 there are no black scales in the fringes. June to August. 



As a British insect, A. paludum was at one time supposed to 

 be peculiar to the Cambridgeshire fens, but it has recently been 



