CUCULLIA. 



249 



inner margin, with a whitish longitudinal streak in the marginal half, and two pale lunules above 

 the inner margin beyond the middle ; the fringes very strongly dentated, being indented to the 

 middle ; hind-wings of the male whitish, with the hind margin brownish, and those of the female 

 brown. Expands from 1} to 2 inches. Inhabits Central and Southern Europe and Western Asia 

 in April and May. The larva is greenish-white, with slender bluish-grey transverse lines and spots 

 in the incisions ; on each segment there are three yellow spots on the back and sides, which are 

 sometimes connected, and those on the back have two black dots in front and two long hatchet- 

 shaped spots behind ; belly spotted with black, and prolegs black. It feeds on the leaves of the 

 mullein in June and July. The transformations are figured at PI. 39, Fig. 3, a — c. (C. Scropliu- 

 laripliila. Stand., from Andalusia, has brownish-grey fore-wings ; costa and inner margin dark 

 brown, two whitish spots in the middle, and a twice-curved line on the inner margin. Hind- 

 wings whitish, narrowly bordered with brown in the male, and broadly in the female. The 

 larva resembles that of Vcrbasci, but has a broader head, and the spots are more confluent. 

 It feeds from March to May on Scroplmlaria sanibucifolia, and the moth appears in spring.) 



* 2. C. Scrophidari(s (W. V.). — Resembles Vcrbasci, but the fore-wings are dusted with 

 grey on the brown costal area, the brown inner marginal area is narrower and paler, with 

 more distinct black longitudinal lines, and the inner margin is more varied with lighter ; there 

 are also two rows of small black dots in the position of the stigmata, the white streak in 

 the marginal area is absent, and the fringes are less strongly denticulated, being only indented 

 to one-third of their length. Size of Vcrbasci. Inhabits Central Europe in May and June. 

 The larva differs from that of Vcrbasci in wanting the transverse lines and spots in the 

 incisions, and the black spots on the belly. There is a black curved line instead of the 

 hinder spots on each segment, and the prolegs are not black, but only spotted with black. 

 It feeds on Scroplmlaria and Verbascnin from June to August, preferring the flowers and seeds. 



* 3. C. Lychnitis (Ramb.). — Resembles Scrophularice, though more uniform and paler ochreous, 

 but likewise suffused with violet-grey on the costa ; the dots in the position of the stigmata 

 are smaller, the fringes indented to two-thirds of their length ; hind-wings whitish in both sexes, 

 with the hind margin brownish, especially in the female. Expands about li inches. Inhabits 

 Central Europe from May to July, but local. The larva resembles that of Scroplmlarice, but 

 the prolegs are not marked with black. It lives on different species of mullein in August 

 and September, feeding on the seeds and fruits, and is always to be found at the top of the 

 plants, often in considerable clusters. 



4. C. Tliapsiphaga (Tr.). — Fore-wings pale ochreous, varied with whitish below the middle, and 

 iron-grey on the costa ; brown on the inner margin, with black longitudinal streaks, and two 

 light lunules beyond the middle ; the two stigmata indicated by large black dots ; fringes as in 

 Scrophularicz ; hind-wings whitish, with the hind margin narrowly brownish in the male 

 and broadly brownish in the female. Expands about ij inches. Inhabits Central and 

 Southern Europe from May to July. The larva is bluish-white, with a broad pale yellow 

 stripe on the back and sides, and generally with small bluish spots between. It feeds 

 on the leaves and flowers of the mullein between June and September, and is much 

 commoner than the perfect insect. {C. Scrophulariphaga, Ramb., from Corsica, resembles 

 Thapsiphaga, but the shading on the costa and inner margin is finer and softer, more as in 

 Prenanthis ; the hind-wings are decidedly grey in both sexes and on both surfaces, and 

 there is a dark curved line beyond the central spot. The larva has four black spots on the 

 back of each segment, arranged in a St. Andrew's cross, the outer ones touching a yellow 

 longitudinal line ) 

 39 



