OX A DELTOID MOTH NEW TO BRITAIN. 7l 



circumstances in regard to the present occurrence of Hypena obsitalis 

 it seems to me that the probability is that it has been overlooked 

 in mistake for the newly allied H. rostralis, Linn. To this latter 

 insect II. obsitalis bears a rather close general resemblance both 

 in size and colouring. A. notice of its occurrence appeared in the 

 " Entomologist" for December, 1884, accompanied by a wood- 

 cut figure ; this figure is not a very characteristic one, and is 

 made from a continental example; the species has not otherwise 

 been before figured in any English work, it seemed, therefore, 

 worth while accompanying the present notice with coloured 

 figures from the British example now recorded, as well as from 

 two other varieties from North Italy ; these last have been kindly 

 sent to my nephew, Frederick 0. P. Cambridge, for this purpose 

 by a Swiss Entomologist (Dr. Huegenin). Before describing the 

 British specimen it will be well perhaps to note the works in 

 which the species has been described or figured by Continental 

 Authors. Its first notice appears to have been by Hiibner (Cir. 

 1805) in his " LEPIDOPTEKA vi.; Pyralides I ; Tab. 25, fig. 164, 

 165." These figures represent a pale variety of each sex, while 

 in Tab. 28, fig. 179, we have another strongly marked variety in 

 which the colors are more vivid and better contrasted. No 

 descriptions appear to have accompanied these plates. Follow- 

 ing Hiibner, Treitschke in 1829 seems to have been the first to 

 describe the species (Die Schmetterlinge Yon Europa Sieben- 

 terBand, p. 32) ia the folio wing terms : '' Alis anticis fusco, griseo, 

 flavoque nebulosis atomis albis nigrisque, macula ad apicem dilu- 

 tiore,adjacentibus punctis ocellaribus." More recently it has been 

 described and figured by M. E. Berce (Faune Entomologique 

 Frangaise, Lepidopteres.vol. vi., p. 11, PI. I., fig. 11. 1878. This 

 author says that it ' 'varies much, some specimens have the upper 

 wings almost entirely brown, and with no other markings than 

 the clear apical patch and the white points on the side ; according 

 to M. Delamain, the caterpillar resembles that of H. prolosci- 

 dalis, Linn., except that the size is smaller,and it lives on the nettle. 

 M. Milliere finds it on la Parietaria \_Parietaria offivinalis] of which 

 it joins the leaves together, and where it remains during the 



