PTILOPHORA. 261 



frequently very small ; but in Ptilophora they are extremely 

 minute, and concealed by the surrounding hairs. 



THE FEATHERED PROMINENT. PTILOPHORA PLUMIGERA. 



Bombyx plumigera^ Esper, Schmett. iii. p. 254, Taf. 50, figs. 

 6, 7 (1785); Hiibner, Eur. Schmett. iii. figs. 13, 250 

 (1800); Godart, Lepid. France, iv. p. 205 (1822). 



Bombyx variegata^ De Villers, Linn. Ent. ii. p. 60, no. 85 

 (1789). 



Geometra contigiiaria, Esper, Schmett. v. p. 267, Taf. 47, figs. 



I, 2 (1794). 

 Notodonta plutnigera^ Ochsenheimer, Schmett. Eur. iii. p. 7 1 



(1810). 

 Ptilophora variegata, Stephens, 111. Brit. Ent. Haust. ii. p. 29 



pi. 14, fig. I (1828). 

 Ptilophora plumigera, Kirby, Eur. Butterflies and Moths, p. 138, 



pi. 30, fig. 9 (1880); Buckler, Larvae of Brit. Lepid. ii. 



pp. 73, 156, pi. 34, fig. 2 (1887); Barrett, Lepid. Brit. Isl. 



iii. p. 149, pi. Ill, figs. 2, 2a-e (1895). 



This species is found in most parts of Europe, but is a rarity 

 in Britain. It expands about i^ inch. 



The antennae are very strongly pectinated in the male, 

 but hardly at all in the female. The head and body are thickly 

 covered with rust-coloured hair. The wings are thinly scaled, 

 ochre-yellow, shaded with brown, or reddish-brown varied with 

 grey, with a light yellow curved line and blackish nervures. 

 The whole of the inner margin is thickly hairy. The female 

 is darker, sometimes ashy-grey, with less distinct markings and 

 narrower wings. The hind-wings are light or dark brownish- 

 grey, and somewhat transparent. 



Variations in the ground-colour and in the intensity of the 

 markings are of frequent occurrence. 



The larva has a rather large, shining, yellowish-green head, 



