of the Genus ElacJiista. 293 



likely to occur, and it is more probable that some of the species 

 here described will be found constituted really of more than one 

 species. 



In the progress of my investigations two such splittings took 

 place : as Tiialomea and DispUella, which I had always thought 

 identical, prove quite distinct, and Collitella is distinct from Suh- 

 ocellea ; Herrich-SchafFer had already pointed out the discrepancy 

 between the British and German representatives of these species, 

 previously reputed to be synonymous. 



I was also startled to find that an insect I had always thought 

 identical with Consortella was very different, and from the distinct- 

 ness of the fascia could not be referred to the same section of 

 the genus ; for this new species I have proposed the name Sta- 

 bilella. 



It is very desirable that series of specimens of Helvetica and 

 Holdenella should be collected to establish (hose species more 

 firmly ; and future investigations must prove whether Cinctella is 

 a good species and quite distinct from Adscitella, and whether 

 Triseriatella and Dispunctella are perfectly distinct. 



It must be borne in mind that almost all the species are abund- 

 ant wherever they occur, and that many are extremely local ; 

 hence a new species is quite as likely to occur by hundreds as 

 singly. 



I give in the first place a table of the genus, so that the student 

 may have all the species at one glance before him. 



Then follow descriptions of the seventy-two species enume- 

 rated, all of which I have personally examined. 



The synonymy I have placed separately, that it might not un- 

 necessarily intervene between the descriptions of the closely allied 

 species. 



In a note I have given the descriptions of three species in Teng- 

 strom's " Fjaril-Fauna," which I have not been able to identify. 

 Perhaps some reader may be more fortunate, or they may be 

 species with which I am really unacquainted. 



I have to express my thanks to Professor Zeller for his valuable 

 loan of so many of his typical specimens of the genus, a loan which 

 I have hitherto ill requited by so long postponing the promised 

 synopsis of the genus ; my excuse must be that the difficulties of 

 the subject grew upon me the more I looked into the matter, and 

 had it not been for the encouragement and valuable assistance I 

 have received from Professor Frey, I doubt yet whether I should 

 have grappled with the undertaking. 



