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or 
THE GENERA OF BRITISH MOTHS. 
PLATE XXX, 
No, 1.—The Old Lady (Mormo Maura) No. 7.—The Orange Under-wing (Brephas Parthenias). 
Yo. 2.—The Caterpillar e ady. 
sie HUN CCksteergeill ge a Gita Ole Toes No. 8,—The Caterpillar of the Orange Under-wing. 
No. 3.—The Clifden Nonpareil (Catocala Pra.cini). 
No. 4.—The Caterpillar of the Clifden Nonpareil. 
No. 5.—The Red Under-wing (Catocala Nupta). No. 10.—The Shipton (Zuclidia Mi). 
No. 9.—The Burnet (Euclidia Glyphica), 
No. 6.—The Caterpillar of the Dark Crimson Under-wing No. 11.—The Caterpillar of the Shipton. 
(Catocala Sponsa). 
Tue twenty-third, and most splendid sub-family of the Noctwide is that of the Catocalidi, containing two 
genera, Mormo and Catocala. 
The genus Mormo, though located, in the system I follow, with the sub-family Catocalidi, is, in other 
arrangements, differently disposed of. The typical insects of that genus present, in fact, many characteristics 
which distinguish them pretty widely from the Catocale. In the first place the only English species, M. Maura, 
flies by night, while the Catocale are day-fliers. The larve are also distinct, not being flattened beneath, and 
having sixteen perfect feet. The perfect insects, however, have the palpi elevated, and the thorax and abdomen 
crested. The wings form a deflexed triangle when at rest ; the fore wings being short and broad. The chrysalis, 
also, is powdered with a purple bloom as in the Catocale, and is enclosed in a silken cocoon. 
Mormo Maura (the Old Lady, No. 1) is one of our most conspicuous Moths, and though of dark aspect on 
the upper side, it has a broad light border underneath, which, at a glance, recalls the aspect of the beautiful 
butterfly commonly known as the Camberwell Beauty. The Caterpillar (No. 2) feeds on lettuce and other low- 
growing plants, and occasionally on trees. The Moth appears in July, and frequently enters open windows at 
night, attracted by lights. It is very common, and very widely dispersed. 
The genus Catocala comprises some of our most magnificently coloured and largest native Moths, the Red 
and Lilac Under-wings. The insects assigned to it have the palpi elevated, the antenne slender, and simple in 
both sexes. The abdomen attenuated at the extremity, and tufted on the back. The Caterpillars are half-loopers, 
having one or more pairs of the ventral feet shorter than the others. They are much flattened underneath, and 
have the edges above the legs fringed with a ridge of hairs. The chrysalis is covered with a purple bloom, 
and enclosed in a cocoon formed of leaves. 
Catocala Fraxini (the Clifden Nonpareil, No. 8) is certainly the most splendid of the British Noctwida, if 
not of all our Moths, even including the Sphingide, for it frequently measures above four inches in the expanse 
of the wings. The light cool marbled gray of the anterior wings, contrasts very beautifully with the rich lilac, 
deeply bordered with intense black, of the hinder pair, and the general effect of the insect when fully expanded 
is very striking. When at rest, and the closed upper wings mect over the back, the chief part of the beauty of 
the insect is concealed, and from this circumstance it is that the generic name of this handsome group was framed, 
the meaning of which is, beautiful underneath, from the Greek words katw under, and kados beautiful. The 
Caterpillar (No. 4) feeds on the Ash and other trees, and the Moth appears in August and September. The 
first specimen captured in this country was taken at Clifden, on the banks of the Thames, in Buckinghamshire ; 
and Mr. J. Stevens has since taken a fine specimen at Hammersmith, by which it would seem that it should be 
sought in the neighbourhood of water. Other specimens haye, however, been taken at Birch-Wood, Guildford, 
