7~ / '^ 3.:^ 



400. 



NUDARIA MUNDANA. 

 The Muslin Moth. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Lithosiidae. 



Type of the Genus, Bombyx munda Linn. 

 NuDARiA Haw., Curl. — Tortrix &; Phalsena Attacus Linn. — Bombyx 

 Fah., Hub. — Lithosia Och. — Callimorpha Goda. 

 Antennae more robust in the males than females ; inserted close 

 to the eyes, on each side of the head, rather short, slender and 

 setaceous, clothed with scales and ciliated beneath ; basal joint 

 very long robust and clothed with long projecting hairs on the 

 underside (1). 



Maxilla not quite so long as the antennae, flat, slender and spi- 

 ral (3). 



Labial Palpi recurved, short and slender, clothed with scales 

 (4), basal joint considerably the longest and stoutest, 2nd long 

 and slender, 3rd short and subconic (4 a). 

 Head densely clothed with woolly hair in front. Eyes large prominent 

 and globose (7 and 7 a). Thorax small and nearly naked. Abdo- 

 men rather short and slender in the males terminated by two large 

 lateral lobes, with 2 smaller ones above ; stouter and conical in the 

 females. Wings subhyaline, pubescent, rather ample and rounded, 

 forming a triangle when at rest, the superior covering the inferior 

 (9, a superior wing to show the neuration). Thighs slender. Tibiae, 

 anterior with a small internal spine, intermediate and posterior 

 spurred at the apex, the latter long and furnished also ivith a pair of 

 spurs below the middle. Tarsi not long. Claws very minute. Pul- 

 villi distinct. 



Caterpillars clothed with long hairs ; with 6 pectoral, 8 abdominal, 

 and 2 anal feet? 



Pupae inclosed in a transparent cocoon ynixed with the hairs of the 

 Caterpillar. 



MuNDANA Linn. Faun. Suec. 349. ]343.— Curt. Guide, Gen. 826. 2.— 

 munda Haw. Lept. Brit. 156. 1.— nuda Hub. pi. \7.f 63 ^ 64. 

 In the Author's and other Cabinets. 



The genus Nudaria is most nearly related to Lithosia (pi. 36), 

 not only in the character and habits of the larvae, but in the 

 perfect developement of the maxillae in the imago. At first 

 sight it seems to be allied to Psyche, but there is no affinity 

 either in the economy of the larvfB or the structure of the 

 trophi. 



I shall describe the three species that have been detected in 

 Britain. 



