British Species of the Genus Micrupteryx. 35 



delaying to collect them till April, the specimens become wasted. 

 I have no doubt many might be met with in February in forward 

 seasons. Haworth distinctly states that Mr. Hatchett took two 

 specimens of purpurella in copula in February. 



Semipurpurella differs from purpurella in being generally larger, 

 in having the hairs of the head cinereous instead of dark fuscous, 

 and in the purple of the anterior wings not being disposed in 

 fasciae or streaks ; but it is principally distinguished by having 

 much longer attennae. It differs from unimaculella also by the 

 greater length of the antennae and by the less distinct spot at the 

 anal angle, and the anterior wings being more irrorated with 

 golden. 



Sp. 9. Sparmannella, Fabricius. (PI. III. fig. 14.) 



Capillis cincreis ; alts anticis aureis, numerosis fasciis purpurels 

 irregulariter transversis, ciliis cinereo-luteis fuscisque variis ; 

 cillis alarum posieriorum lutescentibus. 



Sparmannella, Fabr. 3, 2, 324 ; Hbn. 408 ; Dup. xi. 405, pi. 

 302, f. 9 ; Zell. Isis, 1S39, p. 185 ; Sta. Cat. Tin. p. 9. 



Auropurpurella, Haw. Lep. Brit. 572, 39; Steph. Ulust. iv. 

 SCO, 14. 



Exp. alar. 4 lin. 



Head and face cinereous. Antennae dark fuscous, not half as 

 long as the anterior wings. Thorax and abdomen dark fuscous. 

 Legs and tarsi pale fuscous, the ends of the joints dark. Anterior 

 wings gold coloured, with numerous irregular transverse purple 

 fasciae, the thickest of which is a little beyond the middle, and is 

 furcate on the inner margin ; the gold coloured space between its 

 forks, being the largest unicolorous portion of the wing, appears 

 rather conspicuous ; cilia varied yellowish grey and fuscous. 

 Posterior wings pale grey, the apical half purple ; cilia pale 

 yellowish. 



A scarce species with us, occurring among birches in May. 

 Mr. Douglas took a specimen at West Wickham Wood last May. 



Zeller says, " from the middle of April to the middle of May, 

 on the twigs of oaks, alders, especially birches." 



Sparmannella is not likely to be confounded with any species 

 except purpurella ; from this it differs in the hairs of the head being 

 cinereous instead of dark fuscous, in the veins of the anterior 

 wings not being purple, and in the reticulations being more 

 delicate ; in the broader anterior wings having varied cilia, and 

 in the cilia of the posterior wings being yellowish and not 

 cinereous. 



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