56 



MANDIBULATA. NEUROPTERA. 



Dull fuscous; anterior portion of the thorax yellowish^ with a brighter stripe 

 of the same colour on each side before the wings, the latter hyaline, the 

 anterior suffused with pale fuscous, excepting toward^ the inner portion of 

 the base, the costa of a rather darker hue, nervures fuscous, the transverse 

 ones edged with the same, producing a variegated appearance ; towards the 

 base is a small irregular fuscous cloud, and about the middle, near the 

 costa, is an interrupted waved fascia of the same hue; posterior wings 

 fuscescent towards the apex, and with a spot of brown in the centre ; 

 abdomen fuscescent, varied with yellowish, or with the basal and terminal 

 joints dusky, and the remainder ochreous-yellow, with brownish edges to 

 the stigmata; legs pale, anterior with the femora, and the others clouded 

 with, fuscous. 



Rather variable in the spotting of the wings, some examples being more 

 clouded than others. 



This insect — the May-Jly — sometimes occurs in great abundance 

 in the vicinity of the metropolis, especially on the banks of the New 

 River and of the Lea, near Hackney and at Hertford, towards the 

 end of May, flying about, with the peculiar vacillating motion of the 

 family, in the afternoon in myriads, and again towards evening. 



Sp.2. cognata. Fusco-ferruginea, abdomine pallidiore, marginibus segmentorum 

 albis, alls hyalinis subluteo-fuscis, nervis macuUsque fuscis, pedibus 7~iifescen- 

 tibus, geniculis fuscis. (Exp. Alar. 1 unc. 6 — 7 lin. :— Long. corp. 8—9 lin.; 

 1. setar. 8—9 lin.) 



Eph. cognata. Steph. Catal. 305. No. 3370. — Eph. vulgata. Donovan, v. iv. 

 pi. 128 ? 



Rusty-brown ; collar anteriorly and a stripe before the wings pale yellowish- 

 white; wings hyaline, of a somewhat yellowish-, or luteous-brownish, 

 with the nervures, especially the transverse ones, fuscescent, two or three 

 conspicuous brown spots about the middle towards the costa, and one near 

 the base ; abdomen of a pale reddish-ochre, with the apex dusky, and the 

 margins of the segments whitish ; beneath on each segment are two oblique 

 fuscous lines, and another on each side ; legs reddish, with the knees and 

 tips of the tibiae and tarsi dusky. 



The great dissimilarity in the proportions of the parts, as well as the difference 

 in colouring, sufficiently point out the propriety of establishing this as a 

 species. Not having an opportunity of reconsulting Donovan's figure at 

 presentj I have placed a query to the reference. 



Also found in the neighbourhood of London, about the beginning 

 of June, but apparently rare. 



Sp. 3. Stigma. Piceo-fusca, abdomine pallidiore, pedibus setisque luridis, innna~ 

 cidaiis, alls hyalinis pallide lutescenlibus, hand maculatis, aniicarinn casta ad 



