194 NEW MOTH. 



extends obliquely from the tip to the inner margin. The fringes 

 are of the pale ground colour, intersected by a dark grey line. 



The hind-wings are very pale brownish-grey with a darker shade 

 close to the margin, the fringes still paler, almost white. 



The head, palpi, thorax, and antennae are of the colour of the 

 fore-wings, the thorax being the most clouded with dark grey ; the 

 body like the hind-wings. 



The antennae are about two-thirds of the length of the fore- 

 wings, and simple in both sexes, though in the male they are a 

 little thicker, and slightly curved at the base ; the palpi are rather 

 long (about f '"), porrected, rather ascending, thickly clothed with 

 scales, except the last joint, which is narrower and more naked; 

 eyes very dark grey.* 



This moth is very distinct from any other British species ; but 

 comes very near to Episclmia prodromella^ H. S., E, illotella, Z., 

 E. asteriscella, Mill., and E. asteris, Stdg. From E. illotella it may 

 be at once separated by its larger size and much longer palpi, other- 

 wise it is not unlike it in general appearance. M. Ragonot would 

 place it between E. illotella and E. astenscella. With regard to 

 E, prodromella, M. Ragonot says : " The fore-wings in that species 

 are narrower" (the ratio of the breadth to the length is 15 to 

 50, whereas in the Portland species it is 15 to 46) ; "the costa is 

 more distinctly arched ; there is a distinct discal spot, and the 

 hind- wings are pure white." In addition to this I may mention 

 that the angles formed by the line which begins near the middle of 

 the costa are in prodromella very acute, being little more than 45, 

 whereas in the Portland species they are nearly right angles, and 

 the light and dark parts of the wing are reversed in position. 

 Prodromella has also a pearly gloss, whereas the Portland species is 

 dull. 



* NOTE. In the accompanying plate of the head of the female the 

 engraver has not quite correctly followed the drawing, so that in fig. 1, b, 

 female, the terminal joint of the palpi should be blunter and the end of 

 the 2nd joint more as in the male, and in fig. 1, V, female, the head 

 between the eyes should be broader and the scales on the neck half their 

 present width. 



