EN
The wavelengths of the L_{1} absorption edges of the 4f heavy rare-earth metals (^{65}Tb to ^{71}Lu) have been measured using a 40 cm curved crystal spectrograph of the Cauchois-type in the transmission mode. The measured values have been found to fit nicely in the modified Moseley diagrams. The absence of the white lines at the L_{1} edges of the rare earths in metallic form and its occurrence in their compounds has been discussed.