I893-] THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 249 



THE PTEROPHORINA OF BRITAIN. 



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



{Continued from p. 222.) 



AciptiUa, Hb. 



This genus is fairly well represented in Britain there being five 

 species, none of which are rare, although A. spilodactyla must be 

 considered as very local. There are altogether twenty-five species in 

 the Palaearctic region according to Staudinger's " Catalog," exclusive 

 of Trichoptilus pallidum and siceliota whilst the Nearctic region boasts 

 as yet only of four species of which one is doubtful. It can in no way 

 be looked upon as a northern genus as only two species are known in 

 Scandinavia, viz. : — tetradactyla and pentadactyla. The following is 

 Wallengren's diagnosis of the genus: — " Aciptihis, Hb. — Antennae 

 finely ciliated, with the basal joint thickened. Forehead obtuse, the 

 feathers forming no conical eminence. Palpi rather shorter than the 

 head, slender, pointed, the last joint bending downwards. All the 

 tibiae slender, and not thickened, the spines of the posterior tibiae 

 unequal. Anterior wings cleft almost to the middle of their length, 

 the segments of all the wings slender, linear, and evidently without 

 angles. Inner margin not toothed, the segment of the posterior wings 

 without black scales in the fringe. Anterior wings flat, with the 

 margins only very slightly deflexed. Veins of the anterior wings five 

 in number, simple ; the 1st to the 3rd arising from the base and 

 running to the posterior segment, the 4th and 5th also springing from 

 the base and going to the anterior segment. The 1st, 2nd and 5th 

 veins more slender than the others. The veins of the posterior wings 

 are four ; the 1st from the base into the first segment, the 2nd from 

 the base into the middle segment and the 3rd and 4th from the base 

 into the third segment, the 3rd and 4th veins are more slender ; the 

 2nd sometimes sends off a very fine branch towards the fissure. Cells 

 of the wings, none " (Jordan, "Entomologist's Monthly Magazine," 

 Vol. VI., p. 150). Of the genus AciptiUa Dr. Jordan writes : — " The 

 Scandinavian species of this genus are only two, namely, Aciptihis 

 tetradactylus and A . pentadactylus. The larva of tetvadactylus is said to 

 feed on Thymus serpyllum, in May and June. In Britain, we fortunately 

 have several more of this genus, viz., A. galactodactylus, A. spilodactyhis, 

 A . baliodactylus, A . tetradactylus and A . pentadactylus. Pallidum certainly 

 does not belong to it, the much longer palpi and the slightly thickened 

 tibiae would be quite enough to distinguish it. The only insect known 

 to me in this group as likely to pass in our cabinets undetected is 

 xanthodactylus, which might be overlooked as a variety of baliodactylus. 

 It may be known by its having a spot on the inner margin of the 

 anterior wing, opposite the one on the outer margin, as well as a spot 



