148 BRITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



M. seppella as synonymous with M. aruncella, describes only the latter 

 form with the straight median fascia, so that anyone taking the 

 common form — -seppella — with the oblique (or slightly curved) median 

 fascia would be puzzled where to place it. 



Variation. — Frey refers \_Lep. der Schweiz, 426 (1880)], to a form 

 that he calls M. aruncella, Sc. var. atricapilla, Wocke, as coming 

 from the Stelvio. Stainton calls attention to the fact that the reddish 

 hairs on the head, of the male are very easily rubbed off in all the 

 allied species. Durrant believes atricapilla to be a distinct species. 

 He writes: " The specimens from Wocke in the Zeller collection are 

 certainly not worn, and the head is as black as that of M.mansuetella. 

 These specimens were taken July 14th-15th, 1875. Zeller put the 

 specimens at the end of his series of M. calthella, in line by themselves, 

 before his var. b " {in litt., May 21st, 1898). 



Habitat. — Barrett says that at Haslemere he has found M. arun- 

 cella in marshy places, in the early part of July, running over the 

 leaves of Epilobium antjusti folium, and also in hedges among beech 

 bushes. Scopoli found imagines on the flowers of Actaea and Spiraea 

 aruncus ; Schmidt, on the blossoms of Helianthemum alpinum ; Schlager, 

 on flowers of Acer campestre; Zeller also gives Spiraea aruncus, and adds 

 the blossoms of Pyrola minor and Plantago media, as being attractive 

 to this species. Frey connects it with Scabiosa. South records it as 

 being obtained in North Devon by sweeping mixed herbage, whilsi in 

 Stainton's collection at the British Museum, are 4 specimens labelled 

 as having been taken at " light." 



Time of appearance. — Stainton gives June for England, and 

 Schmidt mentions August for the Alps ; Schlager gives the end of May 

 and beginning of June at Jena, and Treitschke, June for Vienna. 

 Zeller gives the commencement of July at Reinerz, Barrett giving the 

 same time at Haslemere, and Wheeler records it as occurring at 

 Rannoch in July, 1876. Common on July 8th, 1870, at Macugnaga, 

 a village at the head of the Val d'Anzasca, at the east base of Monte 

 Rosa (Staudinger). Frey says that in the Swiss Alps the species occurs 

 in July and August. This would appear to be rather later in its 

 appearance than most of the other species of this group. 



Localities. — The reputed British localities for M. aruncella are as 

 follows : — 



Berks : Wokingham (Hamm). Cheshire : Dunham Park and Knutsford 

 (Chappell). Devon: North Devon (South). Gloucester: Bristol (Stainton), 

 Hants : Basingstoke (Hamm). Kent : Tenterden and Pembury (Stainton), Darenth 

 Wood (Stephens), between Sydenham and Penge (ante 1850, Thomson). Lanca- 

 shire : Manchester (Stainton). Norfolk: Brooke Woods (Barrett). Perth: 

 Kannoch (Wheeler). Surrey : Haslemere (Barrett). Wilts: Marlborough (Meyrick). 



Distribution. — Wocke separates M. aruncella from M. seppella, and 

 gives : South-west Russia and Central Europe. Staudinger found 

 it abundant at Macugnaga (on the east base of Monte Rosa). Scopoli 

 recorded the original specimens from Krain (Carniola), whilst Frey and 

 Schmidt both record it from the Swiss Alps. Treitschke gives 

 Vienna, and Fischer von Roslerstamm, Bohemia, whilst Schlager 

 mentions Jena, and Standfuss the Silesian mountains [e.g., the 

 Probsthainer summit). Zeller notices it as occurring at Reinerz, near 

 Glogau and Schalten; Snellen gives Holland, near Rotterdam. Frey 

 also records it from Zurich and Lausanne. Of its occurrence in the 

 Swiss Alps, Frey writes : " Ich traf sie auf den Glarner Alpen in Hohen 



