LEPIDOPTERA. 359 



four behind ; and they undergo their transformations in the 

 ground. The insects called canker-worms, in this country, are 

 of this kind. The moths, from which they are produced, be- 

 long to the genus Anisopteryx* so named because in some 

 species the wings in the two sexes are very unequal in size, 

 and in others the females are wingless. Among those whose 

 females are wingless are the canker-worm moths. In the late 

 Professor Peck's " Natural History of the Canker-worm," 

 which was published among the papers of "the Massachu- 

 setts Society for Promoting Agriculture," and obtained a 

 prize from the Society, this insect is called Phalcena vernata, 

 on account of its common appearance in the spring, and also 

 to distinguish it from the Avinter moth {Phahcna or Chcimato- 

 bia brumata) of Europe. In the male canker-worm moth the 

 antennae have a very narrow, and almost downy edging, on 

 each side, hardly to be seen with the naked eye. The feelers 

 are minute, and do not extend beyond the mouth. The 

 tongue is not visible. The wings are large, very thin and 

 silky ; and, when the insect is at rest, the fore wings are 

 turned back, entirely cover the hind wings, and overlap on 

 their inner edges. The fore wings are ash-colored, with a 

 distinct whitish spot on the front edge, near the tip ; they are 

 crossed by two jagged, whitish bands, along the sides of which 

 there are several blackish dots ; the outermost band has an 

 angle near the front ege, within which there is a short, faint, 

 blackish line; and there is a row of black dots, along the outer 

 margin, close to the fringe. The hind wings are pale ash- 

 colored, with a faint blackish dot near the middle. The wings 

 expand about one inch and a quarter. This is the usual ap- 

 pearance of the male, in its most perfect condition ; by which 

 it will be seen that it closely resembles the Anisopteryx jEscu- 

 laria of Europe. Compared with the latter, I find that our 

 canker-worm moth is rather smaller, the wings are darker, 

 proportionally shorter and more obtuse, the white bands are 

 less distinct, and are often entirely wanting, in which case 

 only the whitish spot near the tip remains, the hind wings are 



* Literally unequal wing. 



