NOCTUID^. AMPHIPYRA. 163 



b. Anterior wings dentate. 



Sp. 7. Satellitia. Alis anticis dentatis hrunneis aut rufo-castaneis fusco strigatis, 

 macuM suhtriangulari pallidiori inter punctula duo. (Exp. alar. 1 unc. 4 — 7 

 lin.) 



Ph. No. Satellitia, Linne. Don. v. pi. 168.— Gl. Satellitia. Steph. Catal. part ii. 

 p. 76. No. 6167. 



A most variable insect : the head, thorax, and anterior wings are usually brown, 

 more or less tinted with castaneous : the latter are slightly dentate on the 

 hinder margin, and somewhat obscurely strigated, the striga; placed as usual, 

 the posterior one being considerably waved ; the anterior stigma is scarcely 

 visible, or completely obliterated, and in place of the posterior one is a some- 

 what triangular spot, with two minute dots placed opposite the hinder angles ; 

 those spots vary exceedingly in colour, being snowy white, yellow, luteous, 

 castaneous, or pale fuscous, with all intermediate shades, but invariably paler 

 than the ground colour of the wing, which also varies in different examples : 

 the posterior wings dusky, with rufous cilia. 



Caterpillar black or greenish, with a narrow whitish lateral line, and some yel- 

 lowish marks on the collar and anal segment : it feeds upon various plants, 

 such as the bramble, sloe, gooseberry, oak, beech, &c., and does not hesitate 

 to attack other larvse, sparing not even its own species, whence it has obtained 

 the name of the " Monster," in common with the larva of Cosmia trapetzina : 

 the imago (called the Satellites, in allusion to the spots on the anterior wings,) 

 is found toward the middle or end of September. 



An insect of universal occurrence tlirougliout the metropolitan 

 district: it is also found in the New Forest, and in Devonshire. 

 " Epping." — Mr. H. Douhleday. 



Genus C. — Amphipyra, Ochsenheimer. 



Palpi elongate, triarticulate, recurved above the head, clothed with short 

 compact scales, elongated on the basal joint, the terminal joint very long, 

 exposed, acute, and distinct ; basal joint shorter than the terminal, reniform, 

 second as long again as the first, and more robust, slightly bent, obliquely 

 truncate at the apex ; terminal slender, acute ; maxillce scarcely so long as 

 the antennte. Antenna; rather short, slender, slightly ciliated in both sexes : 

 head small, with a short pointed crest; eyes large, rather prominent, naked: 

 thorax not crested, somewhat depressed: zt^/ra^^ very glossy, anterior denticulate, 

 incumbent ; posterior of brilliant hue : abdomen rather depressed, especially 

 in the females ; both sexes with pilose tufts on the sides and at the apex : 

 legs rather stout. Larva naked, with a pyramidal elevation in the anal seg- 

 ment : pupa foUiculated. 



Amphipyra, the following genus, and Dypterygia, are remarkable 

 from having the palpi somewhat recurved ; this genus may, however, 

 be readily known by the superior length of their terminal joint, and 



M 2 



