296 LEPIDOPTERA. 



blunt tufts ; fascicles smoky-white ; abdomen abundantly 

 covered on the basal segments with similar hair scales raised 

 at their tips, so that on the dorsal ridge they sometimes 

 seem to imitate crests, remainder of the abdomen pale 

 purplish-drab, with large spreading lateral, and a dense com- 

 pressed anal tuft. Fore wings of rather even width and 

 very blunt ; costa nearly straight ; apex rounded ; hind 

 margin almost perpendicular, and very little rounded ; dorsal 

 margin almost straight ; colour pale drab, yellowish-drab, or 

 reddish-drab ; basal line suggested by a short brown curved 

 line from the costa to the middle of the base of the wing ; 

 first line conspicuous, nearly perpendicular, minutely in- 

 dented, purplish -brown ; second line placed rather far back, 

 a little more oblique, very even and direct, slender, but dis- 

 tinct, purplish-brown ; between them in the middle of the 

 wing is another, even more distinct, and nearly parallel, line, 

 rather thicker, and darker brown, which takes the place of 

 the central shade ; no subterminal line, though its position 

 is occasionally faintly indicated by obscure pale clouds in 

 the hind marginal area, when the latter is dark ; stigmata 

 not indicated, and the lines are quite different from the 

 usual pattern ; cilia purplish-drab. Hind wings not large, 

 hind margin a little sinuous ; colour dark smoky-brown, with 

 a purplish flush ; cilia similar but paler. Female very 

 similar, but with simple antennae and still stouter body, 

 having a small anal tuft. 



Underside of the fore wings pale smoky-brown, shaded 

 with darker ; a black streak arises on the costa before the 

 apex. Hind wings dull white dusted with brown, especially 

 so toward the costa. Body and legs drab or pale brown. 



Variation in the ground colour, from pale drab to reddish- 

 drab, is somewhat constant, and the transverse lines vary a 

 little in their thickness and distinctness — especially the middle 

 one. Occasionally this last is very dark, broadened and 

 shaded off outwardly ; and in some individuals this shading 

 is continued over the outer half of the wing in varying 



