152 BKITISH LEPIDOPTERA. 



England, France and Italy. Stainton's collection contains specimens 

 labelled " N. Germany," and others from Glogau, in Silesia. Stainton 

 records it from the Forest of Soignies, nr. Brussels. Constant has 

 specimens from Burgundy. Mann notices it from Sicily ; Curo from 

 Tuscany. It is also recorded from France : Saone-et-Loire, Indre ; 

 Germany : Brandenburg, at Havelland and Pomerania. 



MICROPTERYX MANSUETELLA, Zell. 



Synonymy. — Species : Mansuetella, Zell., " Bericht des Schles. Tausch.-Vereins," 

 v., p. 16 (1844) ; " Linn. Ent.," v., p. 337 (1851); Sta., "Monog.," p. 33, fig. 6 

 a850) ; "Ins. Brit.," p. 43; " Man.," ii., p. 303 ; H.-Sch., " Sys. Bear.," v., p. 

 391 (1856); De Graaf, " Tijds. v. Ent.," 1870, p. 220; Stdgr. and Wocke 

 "Cat.," p. 340 (1871); Wocke, in Hein., "Schmett. Deutsch.," p. 775 (1876) ; 

 Snellen, " Vlinders," etc., p. 1067; Meyrick, "Handbook," etc., p. 806. Amma- 

 nella, Wood {nee Hb.), " Index," p. 231, no. 1602, pi. 50 (1839) (name preoccupied). 



Original description. — Aehnlichund so gross wie calthella, schwarz- 

 kopfig, mit verloschenen hellen Binden auf der Vorderfliigeln, bei 

 Glogau in einen Erlenbruche zu gleicher Zeit mit calthella auf Bliithen 

 von Sorbus aucupariae in Menge, seltener an Spiraea ulmaria u. 

 Eietgrasbliithen (Zeller, Bericht ties Schles. Tausch.-Vereins, v., p. 16). 

 In 1851, Zeller gives the following diagnosis : " Capillis atris ; alis 

 anterioribus nitidis aureo-purpureis, fasciis duabus, altera prope basin, 

 altera media, obsolete aureis " (Linn. Ent., v., p. 337). To which, 

 after a reference to his former note in the Schles. Schmett., he 

 adds Stainton's diagnosis : " Capillis atris ; alis anticis aureo-viridibus, 

 macula basale ad costam, fascia ante medium, apiceque, rufescentibus, 

 obsoletis " (Monograph, p. 33, fig. 6). [One might suppose from these 

 descriptions that Zeller and Stainton were describing two different 

 species, but whilst one has taken the golden-purple tint as the ground- 

 colour, the other has taken the golden-green, and described the purple 

 markings as reddish. Their insects are identical.] 



Imago. — Head black (that of other species reddish or yellowish). 

 Fore-wings 8-9 mm. ; shiny, light golden green, with the base, a trans- 

 verse fascia before the middle, and the apex of the wing, purplish. 

 Hind-wings dark grey, apex purplish ; cilia ashy. 



Comparison between M. mansuetella and M. thunbergella. — : 

 Stainton writes : M. mansuetella is readily distinguished from every 

 other known British species of the genus by its deep black head ; but, 

 independently of this character, it may be recognised by being of the 

 size of M. calthella, with the markings on the anterior wings some- 

 what resembling those of M. thunbergella, only more indistinct. 



Habitat. — Healy, early in May, 1861, observed the imagines of 

 this species in numbers flying over and settling upon plants of 

 Mercurialis perennis, and although driven away by his hand, they 

 quickly returned. Barrett records it as swarming in a damp place by 

 the railway embankment at Haslemere, on the blossoms of Luzula 

 pilosa, in company with M. calthella, and writes : " At a short distance 

 from Haslemere, there is a swampy copse, consisting principally of 

 alder, sallow and birch bushes, with plenty of bramble, rushes, and 

 high tussocks of sedge, and cut up in every direction with drains. 

 Here, on May 18th, 1866, I found M. mansuetella and ill. allionella 

 pretty commonly, with M. calthella in abundance, all flitting among 

 and settling upon the rushes and culms of sedge, keeping generally in 

 the shadow of the high bushes, not in the sunshine. At the end of the 



