IIAUSTELLATA. — LEPIDOPTERA, 



Genus XXXI. — Hepialus, Fahridus. 



Antenna- much shorter than the thorax, subfiliform or moniUform, sometimes 

 pectinated or serrated : jxilpi obsolete : wings oblong-lanceolate, subequal : head 

 small : thorax woolly : abdomen rather stout, elongate, the apex tufted in the 

 males: tihice unarmed. Larva subterranean, ratUcivorous : pupa elongate, 

 rather stout, obtuse, with two parallel rows of spinous processes : changes in a 

 web amongst the food of the larva. 



The genus Hepialus is remarkable for several peculiarities, of 

 which the sexual disparity is not the least important ; but this dis- 

 similarity is more apparent than real, and the sexes may be readily 

 united by a practised eye, as the chief distinctions generally consist 

 of the larger size and dissimilar colour of the female, the marking 

 in most instances being similar in both sexes : another peculiarity 

 is the absence of trophi ; and a third the want of tarsi in one sex of 

 He. hectus. There are other distinctions by which the genus may 

 be readily divided into sections. 



They fly early in the evening, and with considerable rapiditj'-, 

 whence their name of Swifis, and two of the species. He. hectus 

 and Humuli are distinguished from their congeners by their vaccil- 

 lating fliglit, which probably depends upon the structure and ap- 

 pendages to their tibiae, the former species having the hinder tibiae 

 clavate, without tarsi, and both having them furnished with elongate 

 simple or scaly hairs. The females deposit their eggs with force, 

 and in rapid succession. 



A. Antennae simple in both sexes. 



Sp. 1. hectus. Alis anticis viaris luteis, strigis tribus obliquis punctato-inte?'- 

 ruptis aiireis; Jlcmina; brimneis fasciis duabus cinerascentibus, posticis fnscis. 

 (Exp. alar. 1 unc. — 1 unc. 4 lin.) 



rh. No. hectus. Linne. — Dotu viil. pL 211 4>. $. — He. hectus. Stcph. Catal. 

 No. S944. 



Male with the anterior wings rich fulvous or luteous, with three oblique moni- 

 liform golden fascia^, and a minute spot of the same colour at the base ; the 

 anterior fascia is towards the base of the wing on the interior margin, and is 

 abbreviated towards the costa; the second commences about the middle of the 

 interior margin, at first parallel with the prececUng, it then suddenly bends 

 towards the apex of the costa, where it terminates; the third is in the pos- 

 terior margin, and is composed of minute dots ; the posterior wings are dusky: 

 hinder tibiic clavate, with elongate scaly hairs, tarsi wanting. IVinale very 

 dissimilar ; anterior wings livid-ash, with three oblique, rather obsolete, pale 



