PYUALID-E. PYRAdSTA. 35 



B. JVings generally of rich purplish tints^ with yellow spots and streaks: — 

 Poui'HyKiTESj Jluhncr. 



Sp. 3. purpuralis. Alls anticis purpurascentibus, fascia maculari, punctis liiieo- 

 Idque posticd sulphureis, posticis fusco-cinerascentibus, fascia integra viaculuqve 

 Jlavis. (Exp. Alar. 9^ — 10 lin.) 



Ph. Py. purpuralis. Linne. — Donovan, x. pi. 339. f. 2. — Pyr. purpuralis. 

 Sieph. Catal. ii. 162. A^o. 6791. 



Anterior wings purplish, in tint rather variable, with a faint triangular spot at 

 the base, two small dots towards the costa, one behind the other, then rather 

 beyond the middle an oblique band composed of somewhat confluent irre- 

 gular spots, and an obscure streak composed of minute dots near the hinder 

 margin, all golden-, or sulphurous-yellow, sometimes with a reddish tint: 

 posterior wings of a darker hue, with a spot at the base and an entire curved 

 fascia behind the middle, yellow; the hinder margin with a faint reddish- 

 yellow streak, composed of small dots, as in the anterior wings : cilia brown, 

 with the tips more or less white. 



The anterior wings have sometimes a dusky-purplish fascia in the middle; 

 and the faint basal spot is occasionally obliterated. 



The caterpillar feeds on the whitethorn and mint : it is ashy, with Mack and 

 white spots, and a yellow dorsal and lateral line: the imago appears in 

 May, and a second time about the middle of August. 



This insect is the type of Latreille's genus Botys ; respecting which see sub- 

 sequent remarks ; page 46. 



Not uncommon in the neighbourhood of London, as at Coombe, 

 Birch, and Darenth Woods, Hertford, Ripley, Wimbledon Common, 

 &c. " Epping." — Mr. H. Douhleday. " Cramond.''— j?ey. W. 

 Little. " York."— IF. C. Hewitson, Esq. 



Sp. 4. punicealis. Alis anticis obscure pvrpureis, fascia intcrruptd, juacnlisque 

 baseos auranttacis, posticis fusco-purpurascentibus fascia ijitegj'd aurantiacd. 

 (Exp. Alar. 8— 10 lin.) 



Py. pimicealis. Wien. Verz. — Pyr. punicealis. Stcph. Catal. ii. 162. i\^o. 6792. 



Anterior wings more or less obscure purple, with two or three orange-yellow 

 spots towards the base, and an oblique interrupted streak of the same hue 

 beyond the middle, composed of irregular spots, and sometimes with a faint 

 streak on the hinder margin : posterior wings of a darker tint with an entire 

 orange band behind the middle and occasionally a yellow spot at the base : 

 cilia dusky, with the tips more or less whitish. 



Extremely variable in colour, and in the absence and presence of the different 

 markings, the discoidal spots being sometimes completely obliterated, at 

 others very large and distinct; the fascia narrow and interiupted, or broad 



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