^ it2d 



328. 



PTILOPHORA PLUMIGERA. 



The feathered prominent. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Arctiidse Leach. 

 Type of the Genus, Bombyx plumigera Esp. 

 Ptilophora Steph. — Notodonta Och. — Bombyx Esp., Fab., Hilh. 

 AntenncE inserted close to the eyes on the crown of the head, 

 short and setaceous, composed of numerous joints, the basal one 

 large ovate, 2nd bowl-shaped, both clothed with long hairs, the 

 remainder, in the male, producing two ciliated branches each, 

 excepting 2 or 3 at the base, where they are shortest, as well as 

 at the apex (1) j subserrated and slightly pilose beneath in the 

 female (2). 



Trophi very small and imperfect, completely concealed with 

 hair (7*). 



Maxilla only forming two small fleshy lobes (3). 

 Palpi small but robust, triarticulate, apical joint minute (4 a). 

 Head very short and hairy. Eyes subovate (7*). Thorax densely 

 clothed with hair, but not crested. Wings somewhat diaphanous and 

 pubescent, superior long, sublanceolate, the interior margin angu- 

 lated with hair toivards the base, inferior wings small. Cilia slightly 

 indented. Abdomen robust, linear obtuse and very hairy at the apex 

 in the male ; subcorneal in the female. Legs rather short, thickly 

 covered with downy hairs. Tibiae ; anterior not short, with a long 

 broad curved lobe on the inside densely clothed with short pube- 

 scence (8) ; the hinder ones with spurs only at the apex. 

 Caterpillar smooth, and fleshy with 6 pectoral, S abdominal and 2 



anal feet. 

 Pupa/ormed underground, folUculate. 



Plumigera Esp., Fab., Hiib., Och., Goda. — variegata De Fill. 



Male. Bright ochreous. Rays of antennae dark brown ; eyes 

 black. Thorax pale castaneous. Superior wings with a broad 

 very pale purplish bar across the middle, the external margin 

 formed by a chain, having a link between each of the 4 ner- 

 vures which are dark purple ; inferior wings with a rosy tinge, 

 leaving a very pale indistinct ochreous wave across the centre. 

 Cilia variegated with chestnut ; abdomen orange. 

 Female of a more uniform dull color, the ochreous markings of 

 the upper wings very obscure. 



In the Author's and other Cabinets. 



