THE CRAMBUS CONTAMINELLUS DISCUSSION. 57 



to say, I myself took it last year (1880) in two localities ; on the 

 last Saturday in June and the last Saturday in August, from the 

 lamps on Higham Railway Station, whence the insect had pro- 

 bably flown from the adjacent marshes ; and during the first week 

 of August, at Deal, on a piece of ground covered by the sea occa- 

 sionally during the winter. I was very much surprised at the 

 capture of the insect at Deal, on ground which I have closely 

 worked since 1883, and where I have never before seen a specimen. 

 This year I took six one evening, but failed to obtain it when 

 on the same ground several other evenings afterwards. 



The insect is on the wing from the middle of June until late 

 in September. Mr. Fletcher wrote me that he had larvae at the 

 time the imagines began to appear, so that it seems the early 

 moths of one season produce early moths the next season, and 

 the late specimens of one season late ones the following. 



I think this effectually disposes of the contaminellus difficulty, 

 and brings the matter so far to a satisfactory conclusion, as it 

 clears up what has been a most confusing problem, and at the 

 same time settles beyond doubt the distinctness of the two species 

 which have been previously united under one name. 



I now give the following description of Cramhus salinellus, 

 Tutt: — Expanse, male, 8 to 11 lines; female, 9 lines to 1 in. 

 Anterior icings broad, costa regularly arched, apex not very 

 acute ; colour wainscot-brown, more or less dusted with black 

 scales ; in some specimens the wings are very much suffused ; 

 two transverse lines, the Jirst starts from about the middle of the 

 costa, curves towards the hind margin for a short distance, and 

 then runs obliquely across the wing towards the body and meets 

 the inner margin at about one-third from the base; the second 

 commences on the costa nearly midway between the commence- 

 ment of the first line and apex, curves towards the hind margin 

 near the upper part, forms an angle pointing towards the thorax 

 at about two-thirds across the wing, and then curves towards the 

 anal angle ; a black streak crosses the centre of the wing, longi- 

 tudinally, from the thorax to the first line, beyond which it is 

 sometimes visible. Posterior wings pale grey in colour ; in some 

 specimens there are traces of a dark line parallel to the hind 

 margin. 



Blacklieath, January, 1887. 



ENTOM. MARCH, ltt«7, I 



