SOLENOBIA TBIQUETEELLA. 191 



yellowish -grey. Dried examples are almost entirely black-brown 

 (Fischer). Hofmann states that the female measures 2-2J'", the head 

 small, dark brown, with prominent black eyes, the antennae thread-like, 

 dark grey, composed of 18-20 unequal segments, the last segment 

 ending in a small pointed knob bearing a few bristles, the legs dark 

 brown, with yellow 5-jointed tarsi. . . . The first three body- 

 segments bear shiny, dark brown, dorsal plates, the ground colour dark 

 grey, the dorsal bands and lateral spots dark brown, laterally the 

 abdominal segments have black hairs. Ovipositor light grey, dark 

 brown at base. Anal tuft greyish-white. 



Comparison of S. tbiquetbella with its allies. — The male of S. 

 triquetrella is considerably smaller than that of T. pseudobombycella, 

 being scarcely as large as sulzella. It has, however, the form of S. 

 ckithrella only the wings are narrower, as Hiibner also pretty correctly 

 represents them (Fischer). The triquetrella of Hiibner is very similar to 

 the clathrella of Fischer v. E., which it resembles very much indeed, 

 differing only from it in its shape, the presence of the discoidal lunule, 

 and the form of its case (Guenee). 8. triquetrella is of the size of S. 

 pineti and much resembles it, in form and colour of body there appears 

 to be no difference, but the wings are different, the forewings are pos- 

 teriorly less enlarged, the costa is not at all concave, the inner margin 

 is continued into the hind margin almost without indication of the 

 anal angle, and the apex is somewhat more rounded (Zeller). Barrett 

 notes that S. triquetrella, as known abroad, is larger and paler (than 

 ?#. ineonspicuella), with the reticulations or latticing very faint, and the 

 forewings more pointed, much like S. clathrella but not so large. This 

 is hardly so, although some descriptions may incline one to this opinion 

 because certain authors have described the pale specklings as the 

 ground colour, and the effect of the dark striae that make up the mass 

 of the wing, is then apt to be overlooked. The examples in the 

 " Stainton " collection are very dark. Barrett's statement (Ent. Mo. 

 Mag., xxxi., p. 164) that Fischer's triquetrella is not a Solenobia is 

 untenable, vide, Ent. Rec, xi., p. 1G6. 



Egglaying. — After copulation the $ maintains its position near 

 the opening of the case, inserts its ovipositor and lays its eggs within. 



Case. — The case (as represented in the " Stainton" coll. from examples 

 found on the sand rocks at Katisbon) is 8 •5mm. long, and 2- 3mm. wide, 

 larger and coarser than that of ineonspicuella, pale in colour, covered 

 with sand. Fischer describes the case as the shape of a small barley- 

 corn, triangular, dilated centrally, grey in colour, covered with grains 

 of earth and sand or particles of plant debris, lined with white silk. 

 That of the ? is larger than that of the $ . Bruand says that the case 

 is trigonal, a little elongated, i.e., it is composed of three equal faces 

 which are widened medially and terminate in a point at each end. It 

 is soft, of a more or less dark grey colour, coated with particles of stone, 

 earth, sand or minute pieces of lichen ; the lower (posterior) extremity 

 is more pointed than the upper (anterior), where is the head of the 

 larva. The case is frequently found upon old oaken fences, old walls 

 exposed to the north, on rocks, and even on rocks well up the moun- 

 tains. The same author notes a case from the high mountains, which 

 be is inclined to refer here, clothed with almost white lichens. Zeller 

 .•<! cases from Mann, which he considered were specifically identi- 

 cal with the above. They were I'" long, more attenuated towards both 



