294 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



Simacthis myllerana, Stephens, 111. Brit. Ent. Haust. iv. p. 30 



(1834). 

 Simaethis punctosa^ id. op. cit. 



This Moth is a native of Temperate and Northern Europe, 

 including Britain. It expands about half an inch. 



The fore-wings and body are black ; the former with three 

 clear white spots on the costa, and others towards the inner 

 margin. Between these are a few silvery or steel-blue dots. 

 In front of the fringes is a dull white or steel-blue line. The 

 hind-wings are dark brown, with whitish-grey fringes, and 

 occasionally traces of a white transverse line near the middle 

 of the inner margin. 



GENUS ATYCHIA. (Atychiidcs^ 



Chimcera, Ochsenheimer, Schmett. Eur. ii. p. 2 (1808), nom. 



prceocc. 

 Atychia, Latreille Gen. Crust. Ins. iv. p. 214 (1809); Von 



Heinemann, Schmett. Deutschl. (2) ii. (i), p. 7 (1870). 



Small stout-bodied moths, with a long abdomen. Ocelli 

 present. Palpi short and thick ; upcurved, with a short terminal 

 joint. Fore-wings short, parallel, rounded behind, with short 

 fringes, and twelve nervures, the sub-median nervure forming 

 a long fork at the base. Hind-wings with eight nervures, and 

 three sub-median nervures. In the male the antennae are 

 pectinated. 



The larvae resemble those of the dZgeriidce, and live in a tube- 

 like web at the roots of grass. 



These Moths are chiefly South European, and we have no 

 representative of the Family in England. They were formerly 

 included in the Sphinges, but are now referred to the Tinea, 

 or regarded as a separate group preceding the latter. 



