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5. MiiLESEOPTiLus (Wallengren). 



Antennae of the male fringed with very short hairs. The frontal tuft 

 raised into a blunt cone. Palpi longer than the head, compressed laterally, 

 the middle joint thickened above with hairs, the last joint short, blunt, scarcely to 

 be distinguished from the preceding. The posterior tibiae slender, not thickened. 

 The first pair of spines in the posterior tibiae equal, the second pair slightly un- 

 equal. The anterior wings cleft to a third part of their length, the segments more 

 slender, the upper one with a distinct posterior angle. The posterior lanceolate 

 with the posterior angle not well defined. The segments of the posterior wings 

 slender, the middle segment dilated so as to be somewhat spoon-shaped, the third 

 or posterior division without any black scales in its short fringe. The anterior 

 wings not perfectly flat, their anterior margin being very slightly deflexed, their 

 inner margin without a tooth, and, when at rest, slightly deflexed, so as to embrace 

 the posterior wings. The veins of the anterior wings ten in number ; the 1st and 

 2nd separate from the base, the 3rd from the posterior margin of the cell, and the 

 4th and 5th together from the posterior angle of the cell, all running into the 

 posterior segment ; the 6th rises from the little transverse vein near the anterior 

 angle of the cell, and the 7th, which is two-branched, rises from the angle itself, 

 these run into the anterior segment ; the 8th and 9th arise from the anterior margin 

 of the cell, and run into the anterior margin of the wing ; the 10th arises from the 

 base of the wing and runs also into its anterior margin. The cell is distinct, closed, 

 with a very slender, spurious, transverse veinlet, moderately curved, with the con- 

 vexity turning towards the base of the wing. The veins of the inferior wings are 

 four in number ; the 1st two-branched ending in the first segment, the 2nd two- 

 branched, ending as well as the simple 3rd vein in the second segment (this 3rd 

 vein generally joins with the 2nd at the base) , and the 4th vein simple ending in 

 the third segment. No cell. 



There are four Scandinavian species of this genus, namely, M. 

 mictodactylus, M. serotinus (bipunctidactylus), M. pterodactylus, Linne 

 (for Herr Wallengren believes our fuscus to be the pterodactylus of 

 Linn6), and M. paludicola, "Wallengren. Our British species are more 

 rumerous, viz., Jf. plagiodactylus, M. serotinus, M. Hodgkinsoni, M. 

 Loewii, and M. fuscus, five in number ; it is probable, however, that 

 much confusion exists in collections, with regard to this group. Sero- 

 tinus and Loewii from different localities need special examination, and 

 it would be conferring a great favour on me if entomologists who take 

 any species of this genus would lend me specimens for comparison. 

 M. mictodactylus should be carefully looked for in England ; the larva 

 feeds on Saxifraga granulata, a plant which in many localities is common 

 in our island ; and the moth flies in May and June. This plume would 

 make a splendid addition to our lists ; it is a large insect, nearly the 

 size of fuscus, and more resembling plagiodactylus than any other of 



