British Species of the Genus Mycropteryx. 27 



just over the base. Curtis says, " palpi longer than the head, 

 porrected ;" but this is not the case in any of the specimens 1 have 

 observed. But Mr. Curtis assures me that he believes the palpi 

 are porrected when the insect is alive ; this may be so, though 

 I must confess I should very much doubt it. The hairs of the 

 head, which in some cases furnish good specific distinctions, are 

 easily rubbed off, and the head then assumes a black appearance, 

 whatever may have been the colour of the hairs ; this is apt to 

 occasion mistakes : the shortness of the antennae is very striking 

 in most of the species, indeed in some they have quite the appear- 

 ance of having been broken ; and in the subdiaphanous posterior 

 wings we have another peculiarity of the genus. 



According to the neuration of the wings, the genus divides into 

 two sections ; in the first section the apical nervure is simple 

 from the cell, in both wings, and in the second section this nervure 

 has a fork towards the costa, between the cell and the apex, in 

 both wings. 



Section A. Eriocephala, Curtis. 

 Section B. Micropteryx, Hiibner. 



The following is my arrangement of the British species : 



A. 



a Head ferruginous. 



1. Callhella. Anterior wings golden, with the base en- 



tirely purple. 

 Aruncella ?. Anterior wings golden, with the base purple 

 on the costa. 

 $. Anterior wings golden, with two silvery 

 fasciae, and a silvery spot. 



3. Allionella. Anterior wings purple, with two golden 



fasciae, and a golden spot towards the 

 apex, reaching neither margin. 



4>.*Subammanella. Anterior wings purple brown, with two 

 yellowish fasciae and a yellowish spot. 



5. Rubrifasciella. Anterior wings greenish golden, with a red- 

 dish spot on the costa at the base, a 

 reddish fascia before the middle, and 

 another bifurcate beyond the middle. 



* I cannot speak confidently of the colour of the head of this species, my 

 unique specimen having met with a misfortune and lost its head ; I believe it was 

 'erruginous. 



2. 



