1914 Insects. 



Descriptions of New British Lepidoptera, by Henry Doubleday, Esq. 



Genus Lithosia, Fab. 

 Sp. 1. Lithosia stramineola.* 

 Lithosia flava, Haworth, Stephens. 



Antennae, head, thorax and abdomen pale straw-yellow ; anterior wings pale yellow 

 or straw colour, usually immaculate, but sometimes having a large cinereous patch 

 towards the apex ; posterior wings, cilia? and legs pale yellow. 



This species has been considered identical with Lithosia flava of Fabricius, but the 

 description is so vague that it is impossible to be certain whether our insect is the spe- 

 cies described under the above name as a native of Italy. It may possibly prove to 

 be only a variety of L. griseola. 



Sp. 2. Lithosia pygm2eola.| 



Head, thorax and abdomen pale cinereous, tinged with yellow ; anterior wings very 

 narrow, cinereous ; the costa pale straw colour nearly to the apex of the wing ; pos- 

 terior wings whitish, the anterior margin broadly shaded with cinerous ; the wings are 

 similarly marked on the under surface, but the yellow margin of the anterior wings is 

 more distinct. 



This small species, which appears to be new, has been taken on the coast of Kent 

 among rushes. The larva probably feed upon some species of lichen growing upon 

 the ground among the rushes and sedge. 



Genus Hydr,ecia, Guence. 

 Sp. 1. Hydr^cia Petasitis. J 



Head, thorax and abdomen deep brown ; anterior wings dull brown, with a darker 

 central fascia, in which are the usual stigmata ; the hinder margin of the wing beyond 

 the fascia is rather paler than the rest of the wing, deepening in colour towards the 

 ciliae, which are fuscous, paler at the base ; posterior wings immaculate, pale fuscous. 



This species differs from H. micacea in being rather larger, the colour deeper, and 

 the markings more obscure, and in having fuscous posterior wings. I have named it 

 Petasitis from its having been taken flying over the butter bur (Tussilago Petasites, 

 Linn.), on which the larva probably feeds. 



Genus Hadena, Ochsenheimer. 

 Sp. 1. Hadena assimilis.§ 



Anterior wings coppery black, with a ferruginous spot near the base ; a copper- 

 coloured striga before and another behind the middle, the latter considerably curved 



* Alis omnibus stramineis, immaculatis. (Expansio alarum, 1 una 4 — 6 lin.) 



f Alis anticis angustissimis, margine anteriori stramineo, posticis albicantibus, 

 margini anteriori late cinereo. (Exp. alar. 10 lin.) 



% Alis anticis obscure fuscis, fascia saturation, stigmatibus pallidioribus, posticis 

 pallide fuscis. (Exp. alar. 1 una 10 lin. — 2 una) 



§ Alis anticis fusco-cupreis, strigis ordinariis stigmatibusque cuprcis : posticis fus- 

 cis. (Exp. alar. 1 una 8 lin.) 



