LEPIDOPTERA. 303 



approximate the posterior extremity of the body to the anterior, or 

 that whicli is fixed ; they cling with the anal feet, disengage the first, 

 and move the body forwards, when they recommence the same ope- 

 ration. Their attitude when at rest is singular. Fixed to a branch 

 of some plant by the anal feet only, their body remains extended in a 

 straight line in the air, and absolutely motionless. So closely does 

 the skin resemble the branch in its colour and inequalities, that it 

 is easy to confound them. In this Avay and at an angle of forty-five 

 degrees, or more, with the limb to which they are attached, these 

 animals remain for hours and even days. 



The chrysalides are almost naked, or their cocoon is extremely 

 thin, and poorly furnished with silk. 



This section, exclusive of the caterpillars, contains but one sub 

 genus, or 



Phal^xa proper. 

 The caterpillar of the Phalaina margaritaria, Fab., has twelve 

 feet *; the others have but ten. 



P. sambucaria, L. ; Ross., Insect. I, Class III, Pap. Noct., VI. 

 One of the largest that inhabits France; sulphur-coloured ; wings 

 extended and marked with brown, transverse stripes; the infe- 

 rior prolonged at the external angle in the manner of a tail, 

 where two small blackish spots may be observed. 



The caterpillar is brown, resembling a little stick both in 

 form and colour. The head is flat and oval. With this species 

 and some others, of which the inferior wings have a similar 

 shape. Dr. Leach has formed the genus Ourapteryx. 



P. sijringaria, L.; Roes., Ibid., X, where the antennae are pec- 

 tinated in the male, whose wings are jaspered by a mixture of 

 yellowish, brown, and reddish. 



The caterpillar has four stout tubercles on its back, in addi- 

 tion to smaller ones, and a horn or hook on the eighth ring. 



P. grossidaria. Roes., Ibid., II. Wings white, spotted with 

 black ; two bands of pale yellow on the upper ones, one near the 

 base, and the other a little beyond the middle. 



The caterpillar is bluish-grey above, spotted with black ; in- 

 ferior side and venter yellow, dotted with black. 



The female of the Ph. brumafa, L., as Avell as those of some 

 analogous species, have mere rudiments of wings. They only 

 ajjpear in winter f. 



De Geer describes a species (PA. d six ailes), the male of 



which appears to have six wings, the inferior ones with a little 



appendage which is laid on them %. 



The eighth section of the Nocturna, that of the Deltoides, 



Lat. §, consists of species very analogous to true Phalaenae, but 



* The type of my siib^enus Metrocampe. 



f They form my subgenus Hybernia. 



X For the other species, see Fabricius and Hiibner. 



§ 111 the first edition of this work, this section comprised all the Phalcenee pyra- 

 lides of Linneeus. A complication of characters, however, was the result, which 

 disappears by merely including the Herrainise. That of the Tinaeites will then con- 

 sist exclusively of the Tinece, and Pseudo'Tinea of Reaumur. 



