THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



25 



THE PTEROPHORINA OF BRITAIN. 



BY J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 

 (Continued from Vol. III., p. 5). 



Pterophorus mono dactyl a , Linn. — This common and variable species 

 appears to be on the wing throughout the year except for a short 

 time at the end of May and early in June, Hybernated specimens 

 are met with in the early months of the year, and freshly-emerged 

 specimens may be found from June to November or December. 



Synonymy — Monodactyla, Linn. " Sys. Nat.," X., 542 ; F. S., No. 

 1452. Pterodactyla, Hb.4; Tr. IX., 2, 242 ; Ev. "Fauna Vol. -Ural.," 607 ; 

 Zell. " Isis," 1841, 846 ; " Linn. Ent. Zeit.," VI., 377 ; Dup. XL, 314, 

 2 ; Haw. " Lep. Brit.," 475 ; Stphs. " 111." IV., 372 ; H.-S., 25, V., p. 373 ; 

 Frey 415 ; Sta. " Man.," p. 443. — -This species has been generally 

 known in Britain as pterodactyla, a name now applied to the species 

 formerly called fuscodactyla. The name monodactyla is very appropriate, 

 and it has been previously remarked how peculiar is the appearance 

 of the insect when at rest with its wings folded in such a manner as 

 not to leave even the semblance of its " plume " character. With 

 regard to the synonymy of this species I wrote : — " I would point out 

 that the Linnsean description of monodactyla, ' Systema Naturae,' 10th 

 edition, p. 542, ' Alucita, alis patentibus linearis indivisis,' is unsatis- 

 factory, as far as the ' indivisis ' is concerned.. Bur the description, 

 1 inferiores fere tripartita?,' etc., in the ' Fatiria .Suecicae,' p. 370, No. 

 1452, makes it quite clear that it cafinot belgxig'to the Agdistis group " 

 (" Entomologist's Record," etc., Vol. I., p. 91). Dr. Jordan refers this 

 species to monodactyla following Wallengren. and writes : — " Of this 

 genus, Sweden and England alike possess one species, the well-known 

 ptevodactylus. Wallengren believes this to be the monodactyla of Linn6, 

 and hence calls it Pterophorus monodactyla. The two well-known 

 varieties, in one of which the upper wings are light cinnamon-brown, 

 and in the other a light greyish-white, more or less tinged with 

 reddish, seem to be both described " (" Entomologist's Monthly 

 Magazine," Vol. VI., p. 149). 



Imago — The anterior wings are divided into two lobes and are of 

 variable colour, some specimens being pale whitish grey, others dark 

 grey, while frequently the colour is ochreous, or red. There is a black 

 spot near the centre of the wing and another at the end of the fissure. 

 That near the centre of the wing is occasionally extended so as to form 

 a dash, the species thus being inclined to follow in markings those of 

 lithodactyla. The hind wings are grey in colour and divided into three 

 plumules. The head and thorax are of the colour of the fore wings ; the 

 abdomen, the colour of the hind wings, with a fine median blackish 

 line. Stainton's diagnosis is : — " io"'-i" . F,-w. brown or pale grey, 



