TIIE CLIFDEN NONPAREIL. . 248 



sides, attenuated before and behind, and furnished 

 with a caudal prominence. These insects may be 

 distinguished as a genus by the length of the trunk, 

 which is equal to that of the antennae ; by the palpi, 

 which have the middle joint nearly one half longer 

 than the two others, and so densely clothed with 

 scait^ as to appear double the thickness of the 

 terminal one, the latter being short and slender ; 

 by the abdomen being attenuated posteriorly, and 

 the fringe of the wings, especially in the hinder 

 pair, being long and rather deeply indented : the 

 thorax slightly crested, large, and strong ; the head 

 small, and the antennae long and setaceous, covered 

 with scales externally, and short hairs on the inner 

 side. 



The species named C. Traxini is the largest 

 moth found in this country, the expansion of the 

 wings sometimes reaching four inches. The thorax 

 and upper wings are light grey on the surface, the 

 latter variegated with transverse undulating lines of 

 brown. The under wings are brownish-black, with 

 a broad curved band of light blue across the middle. 

 The fringe of all the wings is pure white, deeply 

 indented, and preceded by a row of dusky triangular 

 marks, having the point turned outwards, which is 

 most distinct in the hinder wings. The under side 

 of the body and legs are white, the tarsi of the 

 anterior pair spotted with brown above. 



The caterpillar lives on the ash, poplar, oak, elm, 

 birch, &c. It is ash-coloured, more or less yellow- 

 ish, and sprinkled with minute black dots, Tha 



