synopsia] SELIDOSEMIDAE 



densely hairy beneath. Femora hairy ; posterior tibiae in <J 

 dilated. Forewings in $ without fovea; 10 often connected 

 or anastomosing with 9, sometimes with 12 also, 11 out of 10, 

 usually anastomosing with 12, rarely with 10 also. 



Kestricted to a few species inhabiting the European region 

 and India ; derived from the Biston group. 



1. S. abruptaria, Thnb. 29-35 mm. Forewings pale ochreous ; 

 costal edge strigulated with blackish; first line oblique, curved, 

 dark fuscous, preceded by a reddish-brown line ; median faint, 

 reddish - brown ; second twice sinuate, black, followed by a 

 reddish-brown shade ending in a subapical blotch ; subtcrminal 

 pale, waved, partly edged with reddish-brown, usually preceded 

 by a blackish-grey suffusion above middle ; a black discal dot. 

 Hindwings pale ochreous, strigulated with reddish-grey ; a 

 broad reddish-brown postmedian band, darker posteriorly, en- 

 closing straight slightly waved black second line; termen dentate. 



England, Aberdeen (1), common ; SC. Europe, Asia Minor ; 

 4-6. Larva blackish-brown ; a whitish anterior band on 2 : on 

 Ligustrum, rose, etc. ; 6-8. The imago when at rest with 

 outstretched wings appears to imitate a wood-growing fungus. 



10. Abraxas, Lch. 



Face smooth. Tongue developed. Antennae in $ stout, 

 ciliated with fascicles. Palpi shortly rough-scaled. Thorax 

 hairy beneath. Femora glabrous ; posterior tibiae in <£ dilated. 

 Forewings in $ without fovea ; 10 sometimes connected with 9, 

 11 out of 10, anastomosing with or running into 12, or absent. 



A genus of rather limited extent, mainly Asiatic. 



1. Abdomen orange . . . . .2. 



„ not orange . . . .3. 



2. Wings with orange-brown tornal blotch . 2. sylvata. 



„ without such blotch . 1. grossu/aiintn. 



3. Wings with terminal blackish band . 4. marginata. 



'„ without such band . . 3. aduslata. 



1. A. grossulariata, L. 36-43 mm. Head black. Thorax 

 and abdomen light orange, spotted with black. Forewings 

 ochreous-white ; first line curved, very near base, second sinuate, 

 orange, margined with rows of subconfluent black spots ; a 

 sinuate median, and a terminal series of black spots ; sometimes 

 a small black discal spot. Hindwings ochrcous-white, with 

 median, second, and terminal series of black spots, but much 

 reduced. Liable to great variation in the development of the 

 black markings. 



