136 AUSTRAXIAN THYRIDIDAE AND PYRALIDAE 



terminal joints obliquely ascending, not recurved, much dilated 

 with long scales which conceal the apex. Antennae in <? with 

 basal joint enlarged, somewhat thickened beyond, simple, very 

 minutely ciliated (^). Forewings with veins 4 and 5 closely 

 approximated for a short distance near base, 8 and 9 stalked. 

 Hindwings with vein 8 diverging from angle, 4 and 5 long- 

 stalked, 7 anastomosing strongly from 8. 



Distinguished from Phtjcita by the peculiar palpi of both 

 sexes. Sir Geo. Hampson, who however has only seen the <? , 

 regards it as a new section of that genus. 



STHENOBELA NIPHOSTIBES, 11. sp. 



vicfioa-Ti/Sr]';, snow-beaten ; in allusion to the forewings. 



g 2 22-24 11UH.. Head and palpi whitish-grey. Antennae 

 grey. Thorax whitish-grey. Abdomen whitish -grey, apices of 

 segments whitish-ochreous ; terminal segments pale ochreous. 

 Legs white irrorated with fuscous ; tarsi dark-fuscous. Fore- 

 wings elongate, posteriorly slightly dilated, costa gently arched 

 near base thence straight, apex rounded, termen slightly rounded, 

 slightly oblique ; pale fuscous irrorated with darker fuscous ; 

 costal half of disc from near base to apex white with a few 

 scattered fuscous scales ; costal edge fuscous at base and again 

 from ^ to f ; a small dark-fuscous discal dot at ^, and a larger 

 dot at :; ; a fine slightly dentate fuscous line from apex to ^ 

 dorsum; a fuscous terminal line; cilia pale-fuscous at apex 

 mixed with white. Hindwings with termen rounded; fuscous 

 whitish, darker towards termen ; cilia whitish with a fuscous 

 line near base. 



Type in Coll. Turner. 



Q., Brisbane ; two specimens received from Mr. F. P. Dodd* 

 Gen. 31. Phycita. 



PJu/cita, Curt., Brit. Ent. vi, p. 233. Hmps., Moths Ind. 

 iv, p. 90. 



I have had considerable difficulty in separating this genus 

 from Neplioptertjx by the neuration. The character given by 

 Hampson — the approximation of vein 3 of hindwings to base of 

 4 and 5 -is liable to insensible gradation, and I have not found 

 it possible by its means to draw a satisfactory line. Meyrick 

 relies on the length of cell of hindwings being less than ^ and 

 nearly h respectively. If this were adopted nearly all the species 

 here ascribed to both genera would fall in the former category. 

 The character I have used — the origin of vein 2 from the angle 

 of cell in Nephoptery.v — seems to me to give a better criterion 

 than either of these. 



