SCOPARIA CONSPICUALIS. 233 



attention. I should myself be very glad to obtain Scotch 

 specimens of the insect, particularly of those captured in the 

 mountains. If local variations and seasonal dimorphism were 

 better shown in our cabinets, many drawers of common insects 

 now passed over as hardly worthy of notice would, on the 

 contrary, be deemed the most interesting and instructive part of 

 the collections. 



0, Haddo Villas, Blackheath, S.E., September 6, 1881. 



SCOPARIA CONSPICUALIS, Hodgk. : A LEPIDOPTERON 

 NEW TO THE BRITISH FAUNA. 



By J. B. HoDGKINSON. 



Some ten years ago I took a specimen of this handsome 

 species, when Mr. C, S. Gregson was with me, at Windermere. 

 At the time I observed its peculiar light appearance when on 

 the wing, which readily distinguishes it from any Scoparia but 

 S. 'pallida. This may be easily understood by laying a specimen 

 on its back. The under side is all alike, of a creamy satiny 

 spotless white. 



This season I have taken a nice series, and all that I have 

 seen of the insect induces me to believe in its being a good 

 species. I now, therefore, propose to describe it under the name 

 of Scoparia conspicualis : — 



Expanse of wings, male and female, 8 to 9 lines. Palpi light 

 above, dark beneath. Tongue yellow ; a conspicuous object. 

 E3^es large, dark ; head silvery grey ; antennae steel-grey, short ; 

 thorax and abdomen silvery grey. On anterior wings the first 

 space with two basal lines, the lower line longest ; the whole 

 space silvery grey, very quaintly irrorated when examined under 

 a low power ; first line slightly circular ; the orbicular stigmata 

 oval, filled up with very faint ochreous; the claviform stigmata 

 often linear or arched, and attached to the first line, often running 

 well into the fold ; the second space dark gre}^ irrorated with 

 darker, and having well-pronounced marks on the costa above the 

 reniform stigmata. This stigma varies in form : often it is K- or 

 B-shaped, rarely 8 ; the B wanting part of top and bottom reads 

 like lo. The second line commences with a rich dark grey patch 

 below the costa pointing outwards, then inward to a little beyond 



