TORTRICINA. 205 



passing to the base of the second apical nervure. Posterior wings : 

 apex acute, slightly concave below the apex ; dorsal margin entire ; 

 basal angle produced. Abdomen stout in both sexes, tufted in the 

 c? , suddenly acute in the . 



A genus of considerable extent, and comprising several species 

 of rare occurrence ; they are mostly of small size, and very dif- 

 ferent in appearance, but, inter se, not given to much variation. 

 The anterior wings are of dark and mottled colours, with slightly 

 metallic-lustred markings. The larvse are only partially known ; 

 but the perfect insects are found as well among forest-trees as 

 upon low herbage. 



There are nine British species, as arranged in the following 

 table : 



A. Anterior wings dark coloured, with an indistinctly - 



marked fascia Species 1,2 



B. Anterior wings with numerous transverse black 



lines Species . 3 



C. With a distinct white or silvery curved blotch or 

 lunule on the dorsal margin. 



a. The blotch wide, curved and bearing three 



streaks Species 4, 5 



b. The blotch narrow, curved and bearing one streak Species 6, 7 



c. The blotch narrow, curved and bearing a spot on 



the margin Species . 8 



d. The blotch narrow and curved, but without 



streaks or spots Species . 9 



1. nitidana, Fabr. Alis anticis purpureo-brunneis ; medio strigis 

 duabus angulatis cinereis, punctis duobus costalibus geminatis 

 argenteis ; posticis fuscis. tfExp. al. 4 lin. 



Head dusky olive-broWn. Face white, inclining to cream-colour 

 above. Eyes black. Palpi as long as the head, white. AntennaB 

 glossy, olive-brown above, dull drab beneath, inclining to ochreous 

 at the base. Thorax deep fuscous. Patagia paler. Anterior wings 

 umber, with paler markings, and metallic-lustred streaks upon the 

 costa. At the base is a rhomboid umber patch, darkest posteriorly ; 

 it extends one-third along the dorsal margin, but scarcely so far 

 along the costa. The basal patch is succeeded by an angulated 

 fascia, of similar colour, denned on its outer edge, but softening off 

 anteriorly ; beyond, the wing is suffused with umber. Between the 

 basal patch and the central fascia, on the costa, are two pale streaks, 

 which are produced to the dorsal margin, where they dilate, forming 

 one obscure blotch. Beyond the middle, the costa is marked with four 

 streaks, arranged somewhat in pairs, of lustrous pale-yellow colour ; 

 the anterior two unite, and are then produced into a pale-violet 



