MASONIA CRASSIORELLA. 



311 



Chapman, as we have observed, notes affhhis received from Staudin- 

 ger as being possibly referable to crassiorella. He further remarks that 

 it " possesses (according to Hofmann) five antennal joints more than 

 nitidella, therefore, 23 or 24 joints, so that the specimen from 

 Staudinger is probably the species described by Hofmann. This has 

 an anterior tibial spur of -70, 24 antennal joints, and precisely the same 

 colouring and wing form as M. crassioreUa , but is slightly smaller (12mm.- 

 13mm.), and appears to be more densely scaled, the basal half of the 

 cilia of hind margin of forewing looking especially dense. The 

 measured length of the antennal pectinations is greater than that of 

 M . crassioreUa which may or may not be a good character. One is not 

 prepared to say that this specimen is only a var. of M. crassioreUa and 

 even less disposed to assert it to be a good species." Eeutti's original 

 description of the male as having the apex of the forewings "more 

 pointed and acute " than inter mediella, suggests doubt as to whether it 

 applies to our largest and broadest-winged Fumea, and Hofmann's 

 tarsal formula for the female does not agree with Chapman's for 

 M. crassioreUa. The distribution of M. affinis is probably much confused 

 with that of M. crassioreUa. It has been recorded from : 



Austria : Bohemia (Schneider), Galicia (Klemensiewicz). Germany : Eatisbon, 

 Erlangen (Hofmann), Freiburg, Bruchsal, Alsace (Beutti). Italy: Lom- 

 bardy — Brianzi (Turati). Bussia : Wolmar (Lutzau), Baltic Provinces (Teich). 

 Switzerland : Bergiin (Zeller teste Heylaerts). 



Comparison of M. crassiorella with F. scotica. — Specimens of 

 a Fi tinea from Scotland (received from Fletcher) look practically 

 indistinguishable from M. crassiorella until their antenna3 and anterior 

 tibial spurs are examined, and they are quite as large as M . crassioreUa ; 

 all these, however, have tibial spurs if of tibia in length, and the 

 antennal joints number 18, 19 and 20. The suspicion that these F. 

 scotica might be specifically identical with B. norvegica, is not allowable 

 since the latter has a large cellula intrusa, which is wanting in the 

 former. 



Comparison of M. crassiorella and M. subflavella. — M. sub- 

 flavella, a species described and figured by Milliere, is decidedly smaller 

 than M. crassiorella, is of a yellowish colour (even in fresh specimens). 

 The anterior tibial spur is a shade larger than that of M. crassiorella, and 

 there are 24 joints to the antenna. Occurring on the same ground as 

 M. crassiorella, and vouched for by so close an observer as Milliere, who 

 knew M. crassiorella well, it seems, on the small material at hand, that 

 it would be unwise to say that it is only a var. of M. crassiorella 

 (Chapman). We cannot help expressing our own suspicion that the 

 sa.vicolella of Bruand is (in spite of its 15mm. wing expanse) identical 

 with Milliere's species. 



Egg-laying. — The eggs are laid in the same manner as those of 

 the other Fumeids. The ? sits with her ovipositor extending into the 

 larval case (containing the pupa-skin), and on the approach of a male 

 slightly lifts the abdominal segments, pairing only lasting about five 

 minutes. The eggs are then packed into the empty pupa-case with 

 plenty of avooI amongst them, and separate without much difficulty, 

 the whole being covered with wool when the eggs are all laid. The ? 

 then drops from the case and perishes (Chapman). Bruand writes 

 that " the ovipositor is about 5mm. in length, composed of three (? 2, 

 vide, ante p. 218) segments, which fit one within the other. The form 



