PYRALID.t. 9 



are not falcate, but their hinder margin is regularly rounded from the 

 costal to the inner apex ; during repose, instead of being expanded 

 horizontally, they are compressed or placed vertically : the antennae 

 are curved and but slightly pectinated in the males and somewhat 

 serrated in the females : the palpi are rather distinct and slender ; 

 but the structure of the larva is similar. 



Sp. 1. compressa. Alis niveis, anticis macull communi fuscii , centrali cinered, 

 charactere argenteo ramoso Inscripto. (Exp. Alar. 10 — 14 lin.) 



Bo. compressa. Fabriciit.t. — Don. vii. jil. 239. f. 2. — Ci. compressa. Steph. 

 Catal.jJt. n. p. 157. No. 6756. 



Wings snow white ; anterior in the middle with an ovate ashy or slightly 

 ochraceous spot, in which a branched silvery elevation is inscribed, arising 

 from the nervures being of that lustre; adjoining to this patch on the inner 

 margin is a darker one, of an olive-brown hue, intermixed with a few 

 silvery scales : behind the spots, near the hinder margin, is an irregular row 

 of lead-coloured crescent-shaped spots, in fine specimens, succeeded by a 

 second on the hinder margin itself, the cilia are brownish : posterior wings 

 ashy-white, dusky towards the margin, with the cilia paler: head and 

 thorax white, the latter dusky in the middle, abdomen ash-coloured, with 

 the apex white. 



Caterpillar reddish-brown, with the back gibbous, the tail acuminated: it 

 feeds on the blackthorn {Pruiius spinosa) in the autumn, and appears 

 towards the end of May to the beginning of August: the pupa is brown,- 

 bluish behind. 



A very abundant insect in the neighbourhood of London ; found 

 also not uncommonly in other parts of the country. " Epping.'"' — 

 Mr. H. Donbledmj. "York."— TF. C Hewitson, Esq. " Orton 

 ]\Ioss." — T. C. Heysliam, Esq. " Bottisham Fen."" — Rev. L. Jenyns. 

 " Meldon Park, Newcastle, &c." — G. Wailes, Esq. 



Family III.— PYRALID.E, Leach. 



Antenna: setaceous, in general slightly ciliated within in the males, rarely pec- 

 tinated ; simple in the females. Palpi two, elongate, large, compressed, 

 sometimes recurved ; or four, the maxillary ones being shortest and occa- 

 sionally almost obsolete; the labial in some cases rather long, compressed or 

 very short, acute : maxillce moderate, sometimes only rudimentary : head 

 small: eyes globose, prominent: ocvUi frequently present: thorax rather 

 slender, not crested: bodi/ slender, occasionally much elongated, and with a 

 slight tuft at the apex : icings not divided, rarely convoluted, placed in a 



