IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 78 



lavigata. Our species resemble generally the European, but are much 

 more numerous " (' Canadian Entomologist,' vol. xxii., pp. 146-147). 



Tlivnla, Gn., sericealis, Sc. 



This species, abundantly distinguished from the remaining 

 HerminidcK by its bright straw-coloured fore wings, was placed in a 

 separate genus by Guenee, who wrote concerning it : " This genus, 

 created by me, and adopted by all entomologists, offers numerous 

 striking characters. One sees some connection between its neuration 

 and that of the genera Hypenodes and Schranclcia, to which it also 

 bears some resemblance in shape : but it is, above all, on the early 

 stages that I would insist here ; for, so common as are the larvae in 

 damp fields, it had not been observed before I noticed it, and what is 

 more, has not been observed since " (' Histoire naturelle ' etc. 

 (Deltoi'des), vol. viii., p. 48). Guenee then describes the larva in 

 detail, remarking on a slight similarity to those of Pterophonts and in 

 another direction to those of certain Tenthredince, and also notes that 

 the pupa forms a transition between the chrysalides attached by a 

 simple thread like the Diurni and the species of the Geometrid genus 

 Epliyra, and those which are placed in a complete cocoon. There has 

 been considerable difficulty connected with the specific nomenclature 

 of sericealis, Haworth and Herrich-Schaffer both considering this 

 species the Phalcena limbata of Linnseus, described in the ' Systema 

 Naturae,' but it is now pretty well agreed that LinnaBus' limbata refers 

 to Ebulea prcetextalis. 



There is some slight variation in the colour and shading of our 

 British specimens. Some are much yellower than others, and whilst 

 some specimens are very considerably shaded with dark fuscous on 

 the outer margin, others show little, or no trace of such shading. 

 The reniform is always dark ; in some specimens I have, there is a shade 

 running from it obliquely towards the base. This shade is very 

 faintly marked in other specimens. The hind wings of some are 

 entirely pale, in others entirely fuscous, whilst some have the basal 

 area pale with the outer margin fuscous. This would appear to con- 

 tradict GueneVs idea that this species could not be the P. limbata of 

 Linnaeus because the latter writes positively of his species " posticse 

 lutese, limbo postico fusco," Guenee remarking that this description 

 " applies in no way to this species, this character and the description 

 as a whole being more applicable to Ebulea prcetextalis." It will be 

 seen, however, that the character emphasised, viz., that the outer 

 margin is shaded with dark fuscous, and which Guenee says does not 

 apply, does really occasionally occur in this species. 



The type of this species is thus described by Scopoli : " Long, 

 lin. 4. Tota subossea sed serici in modum nitens ; alis anticis macula 

 obsoleta^fuscescente " (' Entomologia Carniolica ' etc., p. 242). 



Sophronia, Gn., emortualis, Schiff. 



This exceedingly rare British species, is of an ochreous or 

 ochreous-grey colour, and sometimes has a slight olive tint, with 

 three yellow transverse lines, which do not appear to be always 

 equally distinct or well developed. Guenee very truly observes:^ 

 " I agree with Treitschke that the Geom. olivaria of Borkhausen 



