Episema — Metopoceras. 209 



The variety GuAteei (Doub.), from Wales and France, has the fore-wings more uniform in colour, 

 irrorated with blac]< and white, and the hind-wings whiter than in typical Testacea. Expands 

 from I J to i^ inches. Common throughout Central Europe. The larva is dirty flesh-colour, 

 with yellowish-brown plates on the back of the second and the two last segments. It feeds on 

 grass till June, hiding itself in the ground during the day. 



2. A. Nickcrlii (Freyer). — Very like Testacea; fore-wings brown, the transverse lines filled 

 up with paler, and the two stigmata, especially the reniform stigma, filled up with white ; the 

 hind margin marked with fine white dots, and the fringes of the hind-wings divided by a darker 

 line. It is found in Bohemia in July and August. 



*3. A. /?«w«77/V (Dup.).— Fore-wings yellowish-grey, with the central area and hind margin 

 brown ; the transverse lines brownish, moderately convergent on the inner margin, and bordered 

 outside with yellowish-white ; the subterminal line is little marked, and this and the stigmata 

 are yellowish-white ; the fringes are yellowish, and intersected with brownish ; and the hind- 

 wings are white, with no markings. The variety Desyllesi (Boisd.), from the west coast of France, 

 has nearly unicolorous fore-wings. A. Dunierilii is found in Western and South-Eastern Europe, 

 but is rare in many places. 



GENUS IV. — EPISEMA (OCHS.). 



Rather small moths, with the fore -wings obliquely truncated behind and at the tips, and 

 strongly rounded or regularly curved at the hinder angle; grey or brownish, with double trans- 

 verse lines, not dentated, which converge towards the inner margin ; the elbowed and subterminal 

 lines are slightly curved ; the stigmata are pale, but the claviform stigma is absent or very short; 

 and the hind-wings are short ; the antennae are strongly pectinated in the male. The larvae 

 have small heads, and horny plates on the 2nd and last segments. They hybernate, and live 

 till May in the ground, feeding on the bulbs of Anthericuin liliago, &c,, and form their pupae 

 on or in them. The moths appear in September, and expand from i\ to \\ inches. 



1. E. Trimaciila (W. V.). — Very variable ; fore-wings ashy grey, varied with brownish, the 

 two stigmata very large, and connected behind, and marked with large dark-brown angular spots> 

 sometimes only between the stigmata and before the orbicular stigma, and sometimes beyond 

 and beneath the reniform stigma also ; hind-wings brownish-grey. The variety Tersa (Hiibn.) 

 has' reddish-grey or reddish-brown fore-wings, with the markings nearly obliterated ; only the 

 stigmata are indicated, but the surface on which they stand is scarcely darker. Common in the 

 southern half of Central Europe. The larva is greyish-brown, with a lighter line on the 

 back, and the plates dark brown ; the belly is pale grey. (E. Hispana, Ramb., from Andalusia 

 and Algeria, has whitish or reddish-grey fore-wings, with the stigmata darker, and with two 

 transverse lines, the inner line angulated, and the white submarginal area edged within with 

 large oblong brown spots ; hind-wings white.) 



2. E. Scoriacea (Esp.). — Fore-wings ashy grey, dark brown in the central area, the two 

 stigmata small and separated, and the reniform stigma partly filled up with reddish ; hind- 

 wings white, dusted with brown on the hind margin in the female. Inhabits the southern 

 half of Central Europe. The larva is green, with three white lines on the back and a broad 

 white stripe on the sides. 



GENUS v.— METOPOCERAS (GU^N.). 



Antennas simple ; forehead with a horny prominence, from the middle of which projects a 

 small truncated horn ; abdomen very short ; fore-wings with indistinct markings, and patches of 

 84 



