246 LEPIDOPTERA. 



with a small- blackish spot ; abdomen whitish-grey, with two 

 or three half-ereot grey or blackish dorsal crests on the 

 basal segments ; lateral tufts large and spreading ; anal tuft 

 short and rather square. Fore wings somewhat triangular, 

 with the costa very faintly rounded, apex bluntly angulated, 

 almost rounded ; hind margin curved and oblique ; dorsal 

 margin slightly rounded ; colour rather a warm tint of grey, 

 from a faintly yellowish gloss which is usually perceptible ; 

 from the base is a deep black longitudinal streak slightly 

 forked at one-half its length, and on reaching the first line 

 branched on each side ; an equally black straight streak, 

 branched on each side at its origin in the second line, runs 

 into the anal angle, and forms the "dagger" from which the 

 species derives its common name. First line indistinct, 

 double, curved, and scalloped above the dorsal margin ; 

 second line placed far beyond the middle of the wing, black, 

 slender, curved obliquely outward from near the costal 

 margin, thence curved down and repeatedly toothed as it 

 passes toward the anal angle, above which it crosses the 

 dagger-mark before attaining the dorsal margin. Another 

 but much smaller dagger, crossing the middle of this hne, 

 points to the hind margin ; the stigmata are only indicated 

 by an irregular black streak giving oif slender lines which 

 represent parts of their margins, this streak being united 

 with the costa by a black dash. Beyond this dash the costa 

 is regularly spotted with black, with whitish interspaces. The 

 narrow area outside the second line is usually clouded with 

 darker grey, and the margin is spotted with black, which 

 runs into the whitish cilia. Hind wings white, nervures 

 beyond the middle brownish, where also is a faint angulated 

 brownish transverse line ; hind margin dotted and edged 

 with brownish ; cilia white. Female very similar, but with 

 faintly darker hind wings more dashed with brown. 



Underside of fore wings pale silvery grey, with the costa 

 spotted with black, a grey central lunule, and brownish 

 nervures ; in some specimens with a blackish elbowed trans- 



