'ARCTJID^. 277 



the open parts of woods, hill-sides, marshy meadows, mountains, 

 and all sorts of wild uncultivated spots. Not often observed 

 in the moth state, though a rough wind will sometimes drive 

 it on a sunny day from its haunts to shelter in corners close 

 to houses. Very widely distributed, and probably to be found 

 in suitable places all over the United Kingdom, since it is 

 recorded from the south coast to the Orkneys, and in many 

 parts of Ireland. Abroad its range is extremely wide : 

 throughout Europe, Eastern, Northern, and Western Asia, 

 and, in North America, throughout the United States and 

 Canada to the Hudson's Bay Territory, Specimens from the 

 last named district have been called ruhricosa, but they present 

 no special varietal features. Another form, of slightly different 

 colour, has received the name of fervida. The dark variety 

 found in Scotland, and called horealis, occurs also in Lap- 

 land. 



Genus 9. SPILOSOMA. 



Antenna pectinated in the male, with solid, ciliated teeth, 

 dentate in the female. Thorax stout, abdomen moderately so ; 

 fore wings rather broad, and usually somewhat pointed at the 

 apex ; hind wings ample, rounded. 



1. S. mendica, L. — Expanse 1-J to 1| inch. Male 

 entirely smoky brown, or blackish, with a few blacker dots 

 in the fore wings ; female semi-transparent, white, with black 

 dots on all the wings. 



Antennae distinctly and closely pectinated in the male, 

 wholly black ; head covered with long erect scales of a greyish 

 buff ; thorax robust, densely covered with soft erect scales, 

 smoky brown or blackish ; abdomen rather short, tapering, 

 smoky brown, with a series of blackish bars down the back ; 

 fore wings rather short and broad, with costal and dorsal 

 margins slightly rounded ; apex bluntly angulated ; hind 

 margin almost perpendicular but faintly elbowed below the 

 middle and thence rounded ofE to the anal angle ; thinly 



