NATURAL HISTORY. 



511 



The colour and markings of this moth vary considerably. 

 The usual tints are, the thorax brown, the body red striped 

 with black. The two anterior wings are cream colour, mark- 

 ed with bold patches of a deep brown : the posterior wings are 

 bright red, spotted with bluish black. 



Family, Geometridre. (Gr. Teoptrpw, a Land-measurer.) 



OURAPTERYX. (Gr. Ofy>, a Tail ; n-tpov, a wing.) 



Family, Alucitidse. 



ALUC1TA 



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Sambucaria (Lat. Sambucus, the Elder-tree), the Swallow-tailed Moth. 

 Hexadactyla (Gr. "E, six; 6dK.rv7.or, a finger), the Many-plumed Moth. 



The larvae of the Geometridae move in a very singular 

 manner. AYhen preparing to make a step, they hold firmly 

 by their hinder legs to the substance on which they are 

 moving, and then stretch out their body to the fullest extent, 

 as if measuring their distance. After these preliminaries, 

 they take a firm hold with the fore feet, and draw tho hinder 



