DESCRIPTIVE NOTICES OF CONSPICUOUS SPECIES 173 



FAMILY X. PLATYPTERYGID.E. 



DREPANA FALCATARIA. THE PEBBLE 

 HOOK-TIP. 



This species is very generally distributed, though, 

 nowhere very abundant ; it occurs northwards as far as 

 the Clyde ; in Ireland it is common. 



The expansion of the wings is about 1J inch. 

 The fore-wings are of an ochreous tinge, with three 

 wavy transverse blackish lines, in the third of which 

 is a central blue -black blotch ; a reddish-brown slender 

 streak runs from the inner margin to the hooked tip 

 of the wing ; hind-wings paler ochreous, with wavy 

 transverse grey lines. 



The larva, with no anal prolegs, is pale green, with a 

 broad, dark red-brown stripe on the back ; it feeds in 

 June and September on birch, alder, etc. 



The perfect insect appears in May and August. 



There are several other species of the Hook-tips, one 

 of which has the hind margin of the fore-wings much 

 jagged, Platypterix lacertinaria, and another is very 

 abundant in beech woods, the larva feeding on the 

 leaves of that tree. 



NOCTUINA. FAMILY I. NOCTUI-BOMBYCID^:. 

 THYATIRA BATIS. THE PEACH BLOSSOM. 



(Plate VI., Fig. 1.) 



This very pretty species is common nearly throughout 

 the country, extending its range a long way into Scot- 

 land; in Ireland it is very common. 



The expansion of the wings is about 1J inch. The 



