242 



THE CL1PDEN NONPAREIL. 



Catocala Fraxini. 

 PLATE XXVI. Fig. 1 



Viial. Noct. Fraxini, Linn. ; Don. v. PI. 171 and 172. Clifden 

 Nonpareil, Wilkes (PI. 90), Harris* Aurd. PI. 31. Catocaia 

 Fraxini, Shrank, Steph. Curtis' B. E. fol. 217. 



THE genus Catocala of Shrank contains several of 

 the largest and handsomest moths indigenous to 

 this country. The wings are large, and extended 

 by means of very strong nervures, the upper pair 

 some shade of grey on the surfece, finely mottled 

 and waved with dark brown spots and streaks, 

 forming a striking contrast with the under wings, 

 which (except in the species named above) are 

 bright red, with transverse black bars. The cater- 

 pillars are what are called half-loopers, because in 

 walking they partially assume the attitude of the 

 kinds which are without abdominal legs ; and con- 

 formably with this circumstance, the first pair of 

 legs are found to be smaller than the others, snowing 

 a tendency to become obsolete, and thus indicating 

 a certain degree of affinity with the geometers 

 properly so called. They are densely ciliated on the 



