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THE GENERA OF BRITISH MOTHS, 
PLATE XXXI. 
No. 1.—The Black Mountain Moth (Psodos Trepidaria). No. 9.—The Female of the Bordered White. 
No. 2.—The Frosted Yellow (Speranza Limbaria). No. 10.—The Gray Scalloped Bar (Mesia Favillacearia), 
No. 3.—The Caterpillar of the Frosted Yellow. No. 11.—The March Moth (Alsophila scularia). 
No. 4.—The Netted Mountain Moth (Lupisteria Carbonaria). No. 12.—The Female of the March Moth. 
No. 5.—The Common Heath (Fidonia Atomaria). No. 13.—The Spring Usher (Anisopter'yax Leucophearia). 
No. 6.—The V Moth (Halia Vauaria). | No, 14.—The Mottled Umber (Erannis Defoliaria). 
No. 7.—The Caterpillar of the V Moth. No. 15.—The Female of the Mottled Umber. 
No. 8 —The Bordered White (Bupalus Piniarius). No. 16.—The Caterpillar of the Mottled Umber. 
Berore entering upon the description of the great family of Geometridae, or Loopers, it will be useful to 
take a rapid general survey of that portion of our subject which we have already discussed ; and at the same time 
to recal the nature of the leading divisions and sub-divisions into which the insects already described have been 
grouped. 
It has been stated that the order Lepidoptera is now divided into two grand sections, Rhopalocera and 
Heterocera, the former containing the Butterflies (to which I have devoted a separate work), and the latter all the 
Moths. This last section has also, as we have seen, its divisions and sub-divisions. The first division, 
Lepidoptera Crepuscularia, contains only the Moths of the Sphinx family and its immediate allies, and is 
consequently a small division. The second division, Lepidoptera Nocturna, containing a large proportion of the 
generally reputed night-flying Moths and others, is, on the other hand, a very extensive one. Its first 
sub-division, Lepidoptera Pomeridiana, forms a rather numerous group, of which the family of Bombycide may 
be considered the leading type. Its second sub-division (named like the division itself), Lepidoptera Nocturna, 
contains the family of the Lithoside, and the great family of Noctwide with its twenty-five sub-families, the 
description of which carried my first volume to its close. 
The third sub-division of the Heteroceree, upon the description of which I am now entering, is distinguished 
as, Lepidoptera Semidiwrna, embracing three families—the Geometride, the Platyptericidw, and the Pyralide. 
The first family of this sub-division, the Geometride, is composed of a group of insects which are in many 
respects very distinct from the great family of the Noctwide, last described. Nearly all the species have the bodies 
comparatively slender, and generally small in proportion to the wings, which are of much larger proportionate 
size than in the Noctwide, though not so strong in texture or so robustly veined. Another peculiarity which 
distinguishes them from the Noctwide is, that when in repose (with the exception of a few that hold the wings 
erect, like those of a Butterfly) the wings are horizontally extended, showing the upper surface of both pairs, 
while in the Noctuide the fore-wings are wrapped over the hinder pair, which they entirely conceal. We also 
lose sight, in this family, of those characteristic markings, the stigmas and bands, which distinguish the 
Noctuide. In the Geometride these entirely disappear, giving place to markings which, if not of so decided and 
regular a character, have yet a general family likeness, which can scarcely be mistaken in the most characteristic 
species. These consist of a more or less dark and irregular spot near the centre of the front wings, above and 
below which several bands or lines run across the nervures from the front to the back of the wing, frequently 
forming a series of tolerably regular scallops between each pair of nervures. Two of these bands have sometimes 
the space between filled with a darker colour, giving a very marked character to the shading of the wings ; while 
in other cases they are almost entirely absent, or very irregular in their form. It is in the larva state, however, 
that this family presents the most striking peculiarities. The Caterpillars have only one pair of ventral pro-legs, 
and that pair the hindermost, consequently near to the pair belonging to the last, or caudal segment. This 
peculiar formation necessitates a curious action in their mode of progression, which is effected by first fixing 
