93 



767. 



HYPOGYMNA MONACHA. 



The Black Arches. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Bombycidae. 



Type of the Genus, Bombyx Monacha Linn. 



Hypogymna Hub., Curt. — Psilura Step. — Liparis Och., Germ. — Ly- 

 mantria Hiib. — Bombyx Linn., Haw., Goda. 

 Antennce inserted on each side of the crown near to the base, 

 short curved ovate and bipectinated in the male (7), the rays 

 very long almost to the apex, capillary, ciliated on both sides, 

 with a long drooping bristle near the apex of each (1 c^): every 

 joint producing 2 short rays in the female, slightly pubescent 

 with a bristle near the apex (1 $ ). Maxilla none. 

 Labial palpi short, porrected horizontally a little beyond the 

 head (4), clavate- truncate and triarticulate (4 a), basal joint 

 short, with a brush of hairy scales beneath, 2nd twice as long, 

 stoutish, elongate-ovate, clothed with hairy scales terminating 

 obtusely, and concealing the 3rd joint, which is small and oval. 

 Males considerably smaller than the females. Head somewhat globose, 

 woolly : eyes large and prominent. Thorax downy. Abdomen of 

 male rather short, the apex tufted and truncated ; longer and stouter 

 in the female, the apex acuminated: ovipositor exserted. Wings 

 forming a triangle in repose, slightly deflexed ; superior ovate ; in- 

 ferior ovate-trigonate : cilia short. Legs moderate : tibiae densely 

 clothed with hairy scales, anterior with a long stout internal spine, 

 the others with strong acuminated spurs, hinder with a pair also a 

 little above the apex : tarsi 5-jointed, basal joint long : claws strong: 

 pul villi distinct. 

 Larvae with 6 pectoral, 8 abdominal and 2 anal feet ; having tubercles 

 producing tufts of hair. Pupae inclosed in a slight web. 



Monacha Linn. — Curt. Guide, Gen. 812. 2. 



Male ochreous-white : antennae brown ; a black spot on the 

 head ; collar with a black band and 2 spots on the thorax : ab- 

 domen slightly rosy on the sides, the segments beyond the mid- 

 dle black at the base : superior wings with 4 strongly indented, 

 waved black strigae, forming patches on the costa, more or less 

 suffused and forming a very irregular fascia across the middle, 

 with several spots towards the base : cilia spotted with black : 

 inferior wings fuscous, with a faint white indented striga to- 

 wards the margin ; cilia white, with black spots. Female : an- 

 tennae black : abdomen very rosy, with lines of black spots 

 down the back and sides, terminal segments blackish at the 

 base, apical one piceous, apex ochreous. 



The males of B. Mofiacha and B. dispar of LinntEus are so 

 exactly alike in habit, and the larvae bear so strong a re- 

 semblance to each other, that I very much doubt if the differ- 

 ences in the females are sufficient to authorize forming them 

 into two genera. Hi.ibner in his fanciful arrangement of the 

 Lepidoptera, had separated and given names to them long 



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