1892.] 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



61 



Mimassoptihis hipunctidadyla, Vill. (?), Haw. — This species, which 

 has two very distinct broods appearing normally in early June and 

 August, has received several names owing to the variation of the 

 imago and different food plants of the larva. 



Synonomy — Bipimctidactyla, Villers, "Linn. Ent.," 2.535, 1092?; 

 Haw., "Lep. Brit." 476; Sta. "Man.," II., p, 442. Serotinus, 

 Zell. "Linn. Ent. Zeit.," VI., p. 361; H.-S., V., p. 376; 

 Tgstrom. "Anm.," 200; Prey 411. Mictodactylus var. b., Zell. 

 " Isis," (1841), 837 (in part). Plagiodactylus, Sta. "Cat. App.," 28; 

 Zell. "Linn. Ent. Zeit.," VI., 368; H.-S. 22; V., p. 377; Frey 412; 

 Mill. "Ic," I., 209, Book 4, PI. 3, 8-12. Aridus (in error), Gregson, 

 "E.M.M.," VIP, p. 88; South (in error), " Ent.," XIV., p. 77. 



This species is only known as serotinus on the Continent, owing to 

 Dr. Wocke and Pastor Wallengren, both having overlooked Haworth's 

 description. With regard to this, Mr. C. G. Barrett writes: — " I am 

 strongly of opinion that Haworth's name should be restored." It 

 appears to have escaped Mr. Barrett's notice that Haworth has 

 simply utilised Viller's description for what he calls " The grey wood- 

 plume," and that Villers therefore was the actual nomenclator of the 

 species. Mr. South, in the "Entomologist," Vol. XIV., p. 77, 

 writes that "Imagines of both species {aridus and Icetus) have 

 occurred in this country." This, I suppose, was based on Mr. 

 Gregson's record, "Ent. Mo. Mag.," VIP, p. 88, and if Mr. South 

 intended to infer, as he probably did from his list, that aridus, Zell. 

 had occurred in this country, he was almost certainly wrong. 



Imago — In all its varieties, this species cannot be well mistaken 

 for any other, although specimens of the following species might be, 

 by chance, overlooked as that under consideration. The anterior 

 wings are of an ashy-grey colour, somewhat pointed at the tip, each 

 divided into two lobes, with a double black spot at the end of the 

 fissure and a small black linear marking in the anterior lobe. The hind 

 wings are divided into three plumules, and are of a strong grey 

 colour. Haworth's diagnosis is; — ^^Alucita alis anticis cinereis, 

 punctis tribus nigris lineaque fusca longitudinali in limbo." " Alae 

 superiores bifidse, incisura lin. longa, segmentis parallelis, supra 

 pari uno punctorum nigrorum, intervallo lin. if ab alae apice 

 distantium punctoque alio minore eodem intervallo, a basi aliisque 

 punctis remoto. Alse posticae bifidae (trifidae ?), fusco-ferrugineae, 

 nitidae. Abdomen alis posticis concolor, lineis argenteis dorsalibus 

 binis, lateralibus denuo binis, sed ad medium usque non productis, 

 infra iterum binis; praeter has est lineola nigra lateralis ad basin 

 abdominis. Vill., Ent., 2.535, 1092." ('" Lepidoptera Britannica," 

 p. 476). Stainto«i's diagnosis of bipuuctydactyla is: — "10"' F.-w. 

 greyish-brown, paler towards the inner margin, with a black spot 



