334 LEPIDOPTERA. 



plumose ; thorax stout ; abdomen moderately so ; both 

 densely covered with very long hairs or hair-scales. Fore 

 wings rather narrow at the base, broad behind ; hind wings 

 rounded, both semi-transparent, and thinly covered with hair- 

 like scales. Female vermiform. 



1. P. villosella, Ochs. ; nigricans, Curt. — Expanse of 

 wings of the male 1 inch. Semi-transparent, smoky-black, with 

 blacker nervures ; head and body smoky-brown ; very hairy. 



Antennge of the male about one-half the length of the fore 

 wings, with long pectinations lying obliquely forward in a 

 loosely massed, irregular manner, the rays being very closely 

 fringed with minute hairs; blackish. Head, and especially 

 the palpi, densely tufted ; thorax stout and strong ; abdomen 

 tapering ; all three very densely clothed with long hair-like 

 scales, which stand well up and give the insect a shaggy 

 appearance. Fore wings rather narrow at the base, moder- 

 ately broad and rather squared behind ; costa slightly 

 hollowed before the middle, rounded beyond it to the apex, 

 which also is bluntly rounded ; hind margin very straight ; 

 anal angle rather protuberant, but rounded ; dorsal margin 

 nearly straight. Hind wings rather short and broad, with 

 rounded apex and somewhat sinuous hind margin. All the 

 wings semi-transparent, thinly covered with dark smoky- 

 brown or blackish hair-like scales ; nervures distinctly black- 

 brown, and margins edged vvith the same. At the apex of 

 the bi-lobed discal cell of the fore wings is a blackish spot or 

 faint V-mark ; cilia all short, shaqjly defined, black-brown. 

 Underside similar to the upper ; legs all densely clothed with 

 black-brown hair-scales. When preserved the blackness 

 fades to some extent, the whole insect becoming browner, 

 and the long scales of the thorax sometimes almost light 

 brown. Otherwise not variable. 



Female (when living) with the head very singularly formed, 

 and curiously resembling — in miniature — that of a walrus ; 

 having a smooth, rounded forehead, beneath it two hollows. 



