A VEMIA BOLETOBIA HeLIA. 285 



palpi arc generally very strongly developed, and ascending. The larva; have sixteen, fourteen, 

 or twelve legs. The moths fly by night or in the twilight. They arc called Ddtoidit because 

 the triangular fore-wings are placed flatly together over the hind-wings when at rest, so as to 

 resemble the Greek letter A. The position of this and the three following families is some- 

 what uncertain ; Aventia and Boletobia are placed by Guenee among the Gcoinetrce, and the 

 remaining Deltoidm as a family next to the Pyralidce. 



GENUS I. — AVENTIA (DUP.). 



Fore-wings broad, with the tip and middle of the hind margin strongly projecting ; 

 hind-wings rather prominent, with a long inner margin and a short slightly curved hind 

 margin ; nervule 5 rather slighter than the rest, and arising at two-thirds of the length of the 

 disco-cellular nervule. The larva has twelve legs, and is naked, with fleshy filaments on the 

 sides, and undergoes its transformations in a soft cocoon. The moth sits with the wings 

 flatly sloping. The only species, * A. Flexida, W. V. (the Beautiful Hook-tip), has reddish-grey 

 fore-wings, brownish towards the hind margin and dusted with greyish at the tips, with two 

 light transverse lines, not dentated, but angulated below the costa, and bordered with brown ; 

 an indistinct subterminal line, and two black dots instead of the reniform stigma ; hind-wings 

 paler, with the elbowed line continued across them. Expands from i to i\ inches. Inhabits 

 Central Europe in July and August. The larva is grey, varied with green and blackish. 

 It feeds on lichens growing on firs from autumn to June. 



GENUS n. — BOLETOUIA (BOISD.). 



Wings broad, with the hind margin of the fore-wings dentated ; hind-wings rounded ; all 

 similarly coloured and marked. Larva with twelve legs, and with fine bristles on raised 

 warts ; it undergoes its transformations in the ground. The moth rests with the wings flatly 

 sloping. The only species, *B. Fuliginaria (Linn.), has brownish-black fore-wings, with a black 

 central lunule, and two brownish-yellow dentated transverse lines beyond the middle. Expands 

 I inch, or a little over. Inhabits Europe and Siberia in June and July, but very rare in 

 England. The larva is bluish-black, with raised orange spots, and it feeds on fungi growing 

 on rotten wood, from autumn to June. 



GENUS III. — IIKLIA (GUEN.). 



Fore-wings with the Xoclua-'^dX.WxVi tolerably complete ; hind-wings rounded, and less 

 distinctly marked. The larva has fourteen legs, with raised dots, on which are scattered 

 hairs, and it undergoes its transformations in a cocoon on the surface of the ground. The 

 moth sits with the wings flat on the trunks of trees. The only species, H. Calvaria (W. V.), 

 has greyish-brown fore-wings, dusted with whitish in the central area, with whitish trans- 

 verse and subterminal lines ; the stigmata ochre-yellow, the orbicular stigma small, and the 

 reniform stigma very large and crescent-.shaped ; hind-wings brown, with two pale suffused 

 transverse lines. Expands from \\ to li inches. Inhabits Southern and South-Central Europe 

 and Northern and Western Asia in August. The larva is rusty-brown, with black dots, and 

 feedi on Rumex, &c., in May and June. 



