424. 



PSODOS EQUESTRATA, 



The gold four-spot Moth. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Phalsenidae. 



Type of the Genus, Phalaena equestrata Fab. 



PsoDOS Treit., Goda, Curt. — Psycophora Kirby, Curt. — Geometra 

 H'uh. — Phalsena Fab., Haw. 



JntenncE alike in both sexes, rather short and setaceous, inserted 

 near to the eyes on the crown of the head, composed of nume- 

 rous oblong joints, thickly clothed with short hairs and scales (1). 

 Maxilla slender and spiral, not so long as the antennse (3). 

 Labial Palpi rather small, porrected obliquely beyond the head, 

 parallel, very hairy (4), triarticulate, basal joint slightly curved, 

 a little the longest and stoutest, 2nd nearly as long but thinner, 

 3rd minute (4 a). 

 Head small and very hairy. Eyes small and oval. Thorax hairy. Ab- 

 domen short and slender, obtuse in the male, conical in the female. 

 \V\ng!i forming a triangle when at rest? rounded and entire, superior 

 rather small; cilia even. Legs j hinder pair the longest. Tibiae; 

 anterior short, vnth an internal spine, the others spurred at the apex, 

 the posterior with a pair of spurs also below the middle. Tarsi 5- 

 jointed, basal joint the longest. Claws and Pul villi minute (Sf, hind 

 leg of male). 

 Caterpillars unknown, probably loopers with lOfeet. 



Equestrata Fab. — Curt. Guide, Gew. 888. 1, — alpinata Hub. 



Brown-black, alike on both sides ; with a large elongated irre- 

 gular oval orange spot towards the posterior margin of each 

 wing. 



In the Cabinets of Mr. Dale and the Author. 



The genus Psodos bears so great a resemblance to Breplia 

 (pi. 121.) in form, structure, and the hairy scales with which it is 

 clothed, that it forms a beautiful passage from the Noctuidai 

 to the Phalaenidae, and, on the other hand, Mr. Kirby's genus 

 Psycophora with its antennae pectinated at the base in the 

 males, will probably connect Psodos with Biston. Psodos like 

 Brepha flies by day, and as the larvae are unknown, it is impos- 

 sible to say if any affinity exists between them in that state. 



The five continental species of Psodos are all inhabitants of 

 elevated regions ; two only of these have been discovered in 

 these kingdoms, and they are amongst the rarest of our Lepi- 

 doptera. Duponchel says, there is reason to believe that the 



