New Bntish Psyche. cl 



many species of Phryganea, while in graminella they are completely covered with 

 true lepidopterous scales, closely imbricated, and beautifully coloured with a coppery 

 lustre. 



From Psyche Stettinensis it differs in its entirely different habit, that species 

 somewhat assimilating in figure to Hepialus ; in its shining instead of opaque surface ; 

 in its black instead of fuscesceut hair. 



Having alluded to the scales with which the wings of one species are covered, as 

 well as some other characters not previously noticed, T will attempt to exhibit these in 

 a synoptical or tabular form, premising however, that three questions still remain open . 

 to discussion, no one having, as far as I am aware, investigated either the mutual or 

 general relations of these curious insects. 



1. Are these insects Lepidopterous? 



2. Are they Bombyces or Tineae ? 



3. Are they related one to another, thus constituting a natural group ? 



Synopsis of Species mentioned. 



A. Antennae apparently 31 -jointed. 



a. Body robust as in the Bombyces = the genus Sterropterix of Hiibner, and 



also as I believe the genus Thyridopteryx of Stephens. 



* Wings nude; body black; containing the species Ephemeraeformis, 



described under the name of Sphinx Ephemeraeformis by Haworth, 

 Lep. Brit. 72, but subsequently proved by Mr. Gosse to be North 

 American. See Zool. 537, where an interesting account of its eco- 

 nomy is given by that gentleman. 

 * * Wings semi-nude ; body black ; containing the species Fenella des- 

 cribed above. 

 * * * Wings hairy and concolorous with the body which is mouse-coloured ; 

 containing the species nigricans, which is the Penthophora nigri- 

 cans of Curtis, Brit. Ent. Tab. 213 ; Febretta of Fonscolombe, Ann. 

 Ent. Soc. Fr. iv. 107, Tab. 1, fig. 5; and Stettinensis described 

 above. 



b. Body slender as in the Geometrse. 



* Wings densely clothed with glittering scales = the 



Genus Lepidopsyche, Newman. 

 Which in addition to this very important character, is also distin- 

 guished by its ample and subequal wings ; its great superficial re- 

 semblance to certain Geometrse ; and its comparatively slender body ; 

 in which latter character, however, it agrees more nearly with the 

 species which follow than with those which I have arranged before 

 it: the only species with which I am acquainted is the Psyche gra- 

 minella of Fischer, Abbild. zur Berich. und Ergaenz., p. 103, Tab. 

 41, fig. a— n., which appears to be generally distributed on the 

 continent, and the occurrence of which in this country may be con- 

 fidently anticipated. 

 * * Wings semi-nude without scales, but having a few scattered hairs = 

 the genus Psyche of Schrank; containing the species calvella of 



