PLUMB-MOTHS OF CEYLON. 
23 
OXYPTILUS VAUGHANI, U. S. 
Expanse 10*5 mm. Palpi long, slender, curved, sickle- 
shaped, smooth; white, irregularly mottled with fuscous ferrugi¬ 
nous ; terminal joint acute, longer than second. (Antennae want¬ 
ing. ) Head dark ferruginous fuscous, vertex covered with a loose tuft 
of elongated erected scales which do not form a regular cone. Thorax 
dark ferruginous fuscous ; pectus pale sulphur-yellow. Abdomen ; 
first segment and base of second segment pale sulphur-yellow, 
second, third, and fourth segments deep chestnut-bronze-brown, 
apical margin of fourth segment edged with a narrow transverse 
band of brilliant white scales, fifth segment thickly irrorated with 
wdiite scales so as to form a distinct broad transverse bar across the 
abdomen, terminal segments deep reddish-purple ; anal tuft long, 
apex yellowish-white. Legs dark ferruginous-fuscous, narrowly 
banded transversely with white ; spurs long, equal ; posterior 
tibiae with small clusters of short dark fuscous spines near base and 
on origin of spurs. Fore wing cleft from §; elongated, narrow at base, 
broadly expanded outwardly first segment rather narrow, apex 
acute, termen concave, oblique, anal angle distinct ; second segment 
posteriorly dilated, apex produced (not extending beyond anal 
angle of first segment), termen concave, oblique ; deep chestnut- 
brown, thickly irrorated with ferruginous and thinly sprinkled 
throughout with minute patches of lilacine-whitish scales ; costal 
edge dark fuscous ; a small whitish dot on costa at J, a small whitish 
transverse costal spot at J of first segment, and a small white sub- 
apical spot ; second segment with a small whitish dot on anterior 
margin at § ; cilia ochreous-white, with blackish patches at angles 
of both segments suffused with blackish within cleft, with black 
bars on dorsum at f and | and a black dorsal scale-tooth at J. Hind 
wing cleft firstly from f, secondly from near base, segments very 
narrow and linear; dark ferruginous fuscous, third segment with a 
white bar at J and a minute apical dorsal scale-tooth just beyond it ; 
cilia ochreous-white, fuscous on first segment and towards apex of 
second, those of third segment very long and delicate. 
Type s (No. 6,459) in Coll. Bainbrigge Fletcher. 
Locality. —Ceylon, Province of Uva, Madulsima, Cocogalla 
estate (4,000 feet); February, 1907, at light (W. Vaughan). 
I have much pleasure in naming this species after Mr. Wm. 
Vaughan, to whom l am indebted for this and many other “ plumes.” 
Oxyptilus vaughani seems closely related to 0. peltastes, Meyr. 
(T. E. S., 1907, 479), but differs in the distinct band on the abdomen 
and in the white-banded legs. Both these species seem to approach 
very nearly to the members of the lately-described genus Xyroptila , 
Meyr., and will probably have to be removed from the genus Oxy- 
ptilus ; but until the exotic Oxyptilids are better known it seems to 
me that no good purpose will be served by separating up the group. 
