LEPIDOPTERA. 299 



in its larva state. The posterior extremity of the body terminates 

 in a point, which in several is forked, or even presents two long-, 

 articulated, and movable appendages, forming a sort of tail. With 

 respect to their proboscis, palpi, and antennae, these Insects are but 

 slightly removed from the preceding ones. Some, such as the 



DiCRANouRA, Godart. — Cerura, Schr. — Harpyia, Ochs., 



Have the external appearance of the Sericarise and Chelonias ; the 

 antennte of the males terminate in a simple and curved thread. The 

 posterior extremity of the body of the caterpillars is forked *. 

 Some others, such as the 



Platypterix, Lasp. — Drepana, Schr., 



Closely resemble the true Phalsenae. Their wings are broad, and the 

 superior angle of the posterior extremity of the upper ones is salient 

 or falcated. The body is slender. That of the caterpillars terminates 

 in a simple and truncated point. They bend the edges of the leaves 

 on wliich they live and feed, and fix them in that position by means 

 of silk. Their cocoon is very slight, and, in a word, these Lepidop- 

 tera are connected with the Dicranoura in their larvse state, and with 

 the Phalaenites as perfect Insects f. 



Those Avhich compose the fifth section of the noctvirnal Lepidop- 

 tera, that of tlie Noctu^lites, Lat., are similar to the preceding In- 

 sects in the figure and relative size of the wings, and in their position 

 when at rest, but present the two following distinguishing characters : 

 a horny and most commonly long, spirally rolled proboscis; inferior 

 palpi, abruptly terminated by a very small or much more slender joint 

 than the preceding one ; the latter much wider, and strongly com- 

 pressed. 



The body of the Noctuieiites is more covered with scales than with 

 a woolly down. Their antennae are usually simple. The back of 

 the thorax is frequently tufted, and the abdomen forms an elongated 

 cone; they fly with great rapidity. Some of them appear during the 

 day. 



Their caterpillars have usually sixteen feet; the others have two or 

 four less, but the two posterior, or anals, are never absent, and in those 

 which present but twelve, the anterior pair of the membranous ones 

 are as large as the next. Most of these caterpillars enclose themselves 

 in a cocoon to complete metamorphosis. 



This section embraces the Noctuae of Linnaeus. 



All the generic sections made in modern times, the characters of 

 which are rather taken from the Insect in its larva state than when 

 perfect, belong to the two following subgenera, 



* See Ochsenheinier, Godart, Hiibner ; and Fischer, Entoin. Imp. Kuss, 

 fThe Phaleina falcafariu, Ph. lacertinaria Fab., and his Bombyx compressa. I at 

 first intended to foim a parcicuhir section with this subgenus, which would have beea 

 intermediate between the Pseudo-Bovnbyces and the Phalaenites, Ochsenheimer 

 places it at the end of the Noctuae, to pass from the Enclidiae to the preceding sec- 

 tion ; but the Platypterices appear to us more nearly allied, in their caterpillar "state, 

 to.the Harpyiae of that naturalist, thau to the Enciidise and other Ncctaae, whose 

 caterpillars are pseudo-geometrae. 



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