This genus, which comprises Mr. Haworth's section " Abbre- 

 viate " (with the exception of Pterapherapteryx hexapterata 

 and sexalisata), contains 38 British species, 27 of which are 

 described in Lepidoptera Britannica, and three more by Hub- 

 ner, viz. Phalana abbreviata, insig7iata, and exiguata. 



These pretty moths form a most natural genus, and when 

 alive are characterized (as Mr. Haworth has observed) by the 

 elegant attitude in which they repose, with their wings beauti- 

 fully expanded, lying close to the surface upon which they 

 rest, as moths are displayed for our cabinets by the London 

 collectors. The characters perhaps most deserving our atten- 

 tion are the great length of the basal joint of the anterior tar- 

 sus, and the shortness of the tibia, which has an internal flat 

 spine, a character as constant in many Lepidopterous families 

 as the emarginated anterior tibia is amongst the Carabidce : 

 whether this tibial process, which has hitherto been entirely 

 neglected, will prove essential in a natural arrangement of this 

 Order I am at present not competent to decide ; and although 

 I have given a drawing of the disposition of the nerves of the 

 superior wings, I suspect, from the observations I have made, 

 that they will rather supply family, than generic characters, 

 which however will be very valuable, as at present those that 

 we have are very minute and uncertain. 



During a few days that I spent at Dover in the middle of 

 August 1820, previous to my visiting the opposite coast, I beat 

 a beautiful caterpillar from the Antirrhinu7n Linaj-ia, which 

 grew in abundance, and was in full flower at the time, upon 

 the Castle-hill ; it fed upon the blossoms, and began very soon 

 to form its cocoon, which prevented my making a drawing of 

 it : the early part of the following June, to my great satisfac- 

 tion, the elegant specimen figured in the plate was produced. 



Fabricius describes the larva as yellow, with red feet, and 

 spots down the back of the same colour ; but I think mine was 

 a beautiful yellow, with dark chesnut spots. 



Antirrhinum Linaria (Common Toad-flax), from which the 

 moth derives its specific name, is given in the plate. 



