i893-] 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



LeioptiluSj Wallengren. 



This genus, of which we have four British species, contains, 

 according- to Dr. Staudinger, ten Palaearctic species, and according to 

 Dr. Jordan, 15 or 16 Nearctic species, but none are common to both 

 continents. Brachydactylus is included by many authors in this group, 

 but by Wallengren was removed into the genus Pselnophorus. 



The genus is thus characterised by Wallengren : — " Antennae 

 of middle length, those of the male at least very finely ciliated, with 

 the basal joint slightly thickened, Forehead obtuse, the feathers 

 forming no cone. Palpi either shorter or very slightly longer than 

 the head, slender, pointed, a little rounded, sometimes bending 

 downwards at the last joint. Tibiae all slender, not thickened. 

 Spines of the posterior tibiae almost equal. Anterior wings cleft to 

 the third part of their length, no posterior angle to the upper segment, 

 and that of the lower segments also wanting, or else most indistinctly 

 marked. Segments of the posterior wings slender, with fringes of 

 moderate length, the third segment without any black scales in the 

 fringe. Anterior wings almost flat, posterior margin not toothed, 

 deflexed, so as to enclose the inferior wings when at rest, as in the 

 preceding genus " (" Entomologist's Monthly Magazine," Vol. VI., 



P- H9)- 



An abnormal American species, which is doubtfully referred to 

 this genus by Lord Walsingham, is L. parvus. The palpi of this 

 species are described as : — " Long, well clothed, sharply pointed, and 

 twice the length of the head." " This is certainly," Dr. Jordan says, 

 " very different from the usual palpi of Leioptilus, which we may 

 define as shorter or slightly longer than the head, delicate, pointed, 

 almost cylindrical, with the third joint sometimes drooping " (" Ento- 

 mologist's Monthly Magazine," Vol. VI., p. 119). 



SWITZERLAND— A NATURALIST'S PARADISE. 



BY W. R. SCOWCROFT. 

 (Continued Vol. III. from p. 17). 



There is deep solemnity — a grandeur and dignity in such surround- 

 ings. Above you the heavens, lighted by the full orb of " that moist 

 star upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands ; " an atmosphere 

 of that intense night-blue only to be seen at high altitudes, and 

 around you great glaciers and snow -clad granite peaks. 



The next morning was cloudy, and for a short time accompanied 

 by heavy rain. A descent of a thousand feet or more was made into 

 the Rhone Valley before we saw any insects on the wing. Here on 

 a grassy slope, and in the bright gleams of sunshine, both moths and 



F 



