6ct., 1890.] THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



In the December number of the " Entomologist," 1881, this specimen is 

 figured as probably P. nemoralis, Zell. Mr. Stainton's diagnosis 

 of the species is as follows : — " 10J-'", closely allied to the preceding, 

 but darker ; the tip of the anterior lobe less produced, and the pale 

 fascia on the 2nd lobe nearer the hind margin " (" Manual," II., p. 

 441). The diagnosis of Zeller (" Isis," 777), is as follows : — •" Capillis 

 in fasciculum frontalem productis ; alis anterioribus dilute ochraceis, 

 marginibus brunnescentibus, triangulo costali ante fissuram cinnam- 

 oneo, striga laciniarum pallida ; in digiti tertii dorso medio lineola 

 atro-squamata." 



Variation — As mentioned above there is a certain amount of 

 variation, running parallel to that in gonodactyla, but the extreme 

 forms present no such extremes in zettevstedtii as in the allied species, 

 and the markings are always fairly constant. The palest form I have, 

 is one captured by Mr. South in Devon, of a whitish-grey ground 

 colour but with characteristic markings (unfortunately this is not in 

 very good condition), some of the specimens I have received from Mr. 

 Austin, of Folkstone are particularly dark and bright. The ordinary 

 (intermediate) form at Folkstone would appear to be the tcdniadactyhis 

 of South. 



Zeller describes the following varieties in the "Isis," 777; — (1). 

 The type — Tesseradactyla, Zetterstedt. " Insecta Lapponica," 1,012. 

 " Alis ant. fiavis, atomis brunneo-ochraceis adspersis, macula costali 

 triangulari mox pone medium brunnea albo-terminata, margine 

 interno fasciculis duobus cum ciliis immixtis fusco-brunneis." (2). 

 var. b. Solito major. (3). var. c. " Solito major; alis ant. ob- 

 scuriaribus, disco margineque postico canescentibus." This is re- 

 ferred by Zeller to tesseradactyla Treitschke, IX., 2, 230. (4) var. d. 

 " Giganteus ; striga in digiti primi latera inferiore." Into this var., 

 Zeller appears to sink his nemoralis, which he considers synonymous 

 with Fehr's Alucita macrodactyla. All these varieties are described 

 very fully in the " Isis." 



Time of Appearance — The species occurs at the end of June and in 

 July. In Stainton's " Manual," Vol. II., p. 441, we get only " VII " 

 (July), but it is, I understand, generally out at the end of June in 

 Kent. Zeller writes : — " Fehr found larvae in stems of S. nemorensis in 

 June. These pupated from the 25th July, the imago appearing in 

 about three weeks." 



Larva — About the larva very little is known, in Britain at least. 



