THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



151 



Many of the Gelechidse are out in August. The moths of this family have 

 long, pointed, recurved labial palpi, undeveloped maxillary palpi, and broad 

 — often indented — hindwings. In Phibalocera quercetta, which is common 

 in most places on oak and other trees in July and August, the antennas are 

 longer than the forewings. It is rather a pretty little moth, pale rosy grey 

 in colour, and expands three-quarters of an inch. The costal margin of the 

 forewings is decidedly arched and tip acute. There is a pale yellow spot 

 rather beyond the middle of the costa, and a short streak of the same colour 

 starting from its base. The terminal joint of the palpi is slender and pointed, 

 and the second joint has oppressed scales. In Orthotcclia sparganella, a 

 little ochreous coloured moth with white hindwings, which we find amongst 

 bur reeds in July and August, the antennse are shorter than the forewings, 

 and the palpi are short, while in quercetta they are moderately long. 



In the genus Depressaria, we find the moderately long reflexed palpi with 

 the second joint considerably thickened and brush-like underneath. Many 

 of this genus occur now, as costosella and umbellella among furze, arenella 

 and carduetta among thistles, asimiletta and atomella among broom, conter- 

 minella and ocellella among sallows and osiers, albipunctella and chceropkylli- 

 vorella among chervil, liturella among knapweed, applanella among umbelli- 

 ferse, cilietta among angelica. Besides these, purpuretta which feeds in the 

 larvae state on upright hedge parsley (Torilis antJiriscus), pulcJierrimella on 

 common earth-nut (Bunium /lemosum), nervosetta on hemlock water drop- 

 wort ( (Enanthe crocata), nanatella on carline thistle, and heraciella on cow- 

 parsnip (Heraclium sjphondylium), all occur now. 



Alstrameriella, the larva of which was feeding last month in folded hem- 

 lock leaves has white forewings, dusted with pale greyish ochreous ; on the 

 middle of the wing is a dark blotch, which extends to the costal margin, and 

 at the extremity of this is a dark red spot. There are also two little black 

 dots before the middle. It expands eight lines. Purpuretta is about the 

 same size, and is reddish fuscous, dusted with pale yellowish grey along the 

 costal margin and at the base of the wing. About the middle of the wing is 

 a large dark fuscous blotch extending to the costa, and, as in alstrameriella, 

 there are two black dots before the middle ; these are followed by some 

 whitish scales. Conterminella, albipunctella, and nervosetta are reddish- 

 brown moths. The first-named is dusted with pale yellowish grey, and has a 

 pale greyish ochreous head and middle part of the thorax ; albipunctella has 

 a white dot in the centre of the wing beyond which is a pale fascia, not 

 acutely angulated as in nervosetta ; the hind-wings of which last-named moth 

 are moreover pale grey. Carduetta expands seven lines and a half, and is 

 pale reddish ochreous in colour. Ocellella is pale greyish ochreous, with a 



