THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 177 



The Pterophorina of Britain. 



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



(Continued from page 166J 



Pterophori. 



The Pterophori form a very distinct group of moths, but so far as 

 is at present known, they form one of the smallest families in point 

 of numbers. The British species of the group are divided into three 

 sub-families : (1) Chrysocorididce, (2) PterophoridcB, (3) Alucitidce. The 

 total number of British species in the Pterophori amounts to 33 (Stain- 

 ton mentions 31, including Chrysocorys, festaliella, and Alucita hexa- 

 dactyla), of which one species — cosmodactylus — is by Herr Wallengren 

 considered a variety of acanthodactylus ; one — brachydactylus — appears 

 to be very rare ; and another — hieracii — is very rare or otherwise little 

 known. Only one species is referable to the Chrysocorididce, and 

 only one to the Aluctidce, the remaining species being placed in the 

 Pterophoridce . 



CHRYSOCORIDIDiE. 



This sub-family contains only one European genus, and was formed 

 for the reception of this genus, Chrysocorys, when it was removed from 

 the Tineina and placed with the Pterophori. 



Chrysocorys, Curt. 



This genus is thus characterised by Stainton, in his " Manual," 

 vol. ii., page 402 : " Imago, antennae hardly longer than the body, 

 rather thick ; palpi moderately long, rather curved, slender, pointed ; 

 forewings narrow, with the costa almost retuse, but convex before 

 the tip." It contains only one British species — festaliella — and this 

 is also the only European species, although other members of the 

 genus are found in North America. The genus was previously placed 

 by authors in the Elachistidc? , in which position it may be found in 

 Stainton's " Manual." Herr Wallengren first removed it to the 

 Pterophori. 



C. festaliella, Hb. In the catalogue of Drs. Staudinger and Wocke, 

 1 87 1, this species is placed in the Elachistidce under the generic name 

 Sehreckensteinia, Hb., between the species Staintonia medinella, Stdgr., 

 and Heliodines rcesella, L. 



Imago — The description of the imago in Stainton's " Manual," 

 Vol. II., page 402, is as follows : " 6'". F.-w. bronzy-yellowish green, 

 with a dark fuscous line along the fold and hind margin, and another 



