DlANTHCECIA. 2 I g 



by a series of small black lunules. Hind-wings shining white in the male, often dusted 

 with grey on the nervures, and dark grey in the female. Found in South Europe in 

 September and October. The larva lives on various plants, especially asphodel, in May 

 and June. 



9. P. Siida (Hiibn.). — Fore-wings pale bluish-grey, darker in the central area, and varied 

 with pale yellow ; the transverse lines single, and narrowly black, the elbowed line strongly 

 curved and sharply deritated, the subterminal line continuous and whitish ; hind-wings white, 

 with two dark curved stripes in the female. Expands about ij inches. A rare species, found 

 in the Valais in August. 



10. P. Pygmcea (Stand.). — Resembles a species of Diautltaxia ; fore-wings greenish-grey, 

 varied with black. The transverse lines are pale yellowish, zigzag, and edged on the sides opposite 

 to each other with black ; the stigmata are pale, and bordered with black. The fringes are 

 chequered with grey and white, and are preceded by a marginal line of black connected lunules. 

 Hind-wings dark grey, with the fringes whitish. Expands a little more than i inch. It occurs 

 at Naxos and Smyrna in May. 



* \i P. Chi (Linn.). — Fore-wings pale grey (olive-grey in the Scotch variety Olivacea, Steph.), 

 with dark grey double transverse lines filled up with whitish, and a whitish subterminal line 

 marked with small black arrow-heads in front. The claviform stigma is connected with the 

 elbowed line by a thick black streak ; hind-w'ings white, dusted with grey in the female, with 

 two darker curved stripes. Expands about i| inches. It is found throughout Europe and the 

 Altai in May, July, August, and September. The larva is grass-green, mottled with yellowish, 

 with two white lines on the back and a yellowish-white stripe on the sides. It feeds on sow- 

 thistle and other low plants in May, June, August, and September. The moth is figured at 

 PL 37, Fig. 4. 



GENUS XXII. — DlANTHCECIA (BOISD.). 



Rather small moths; the fore-wings with the hind margin slightly oblique and gradually 

 curved, with the hinder angle distinct ; grey, brown, or yellowish, and sometimes white, nearly 

 always with the complete Noctiia-^^Riiern ; the subterminal line has generally two projections 

 at and below the middle, which form a more or less distinct W ; the hind-wings are contracted 

 below the tips, and are short and brownish-grey, generally with a small white spot on nervule 2, 

 just before the hind margin. The abdomen, which extends beyond the hind-wings, is pointed 

 in the female, and furnished with a projecting ovipositor. The larvae are cylindrical, slenderer 

 in front, and live almost exclusively in the capsules of plants allied to the carnation, feeding 

 on the seeds. The moths are generally captured flying over the flowers of their food-plants 

 in the evening. 



* I. D. CcEsia (W. v.). — Fore-wings smooth, bluish-grey, slightly varied with ochre-^-cllow, 

 and paler in the central area, the fringes very slightly waved ; hind-wings dark grey. Expands 

 from li to if inches. It is found in the Alps in July; and a dark variety is met with in 

 the British Isles, most commonly flying over Silene on the sea-clififs of the Isle of Man, where 

 its capture is frequently a matter of considerable difficulty and danger. The larva is sea- 

 green, with a white stripe on the sides, and feeds on primrose, strawberry, &c., in April 

 and May. 



2. D. Filigramma (Esp.). — Fore-wings olive-brown, or varied with brownish or bluish-grey, 

 and dusted with rusty-yellow here and there; the transverse lines black, indistinctly double, 

 bordered with lighter, and sharply dentated ; the subterminal line curved and angulated, forming 



