BONAPARTE A BONUS HENRICUS. 



which seldom exceeds an inch and a half in expanse, 

 are rare near London, but seem to be more common 

 in the north of England. 



550 



wings, and the caterpillars have large tufts of hairs 

 o i the neck. The only genus in this division is 

 Orgyia (the vapourer moths). 



In the third division the wings are more or less 

 transparent, and the tongue distinct, scarcely longer 

 than the head. Here are to be placed the genera 

 Lcelia and Leucoma, or satin moths, Porthesm, 

 Stephens) Arctia of Curtis), or the brown and yellow- 

 tailed moths, and some other genera. 



In the fourth division the wings are thickly covered 

 with scales, and the tongue, as in the last division, 

 to which belong the ermine moths, Spilosoma, Curtis, 

 the tiger moths, Arctia, Schrank and Stephens, and 

 some other less interesting genera. 



In the fifth the larvae resemble wood-lice, without 

 legs, and the antennae of the perfect insects are sim- 

 ple, consisting of the two singular British genera, 

 Hcterogenea (Knoch), and Limacodes (Latr. Apoda, 

 Haworth). 



In the sixth the larvae reside in portable cases of 

 their own construction, the moths are destitute of a 

 tongue, and the antennae strongly feathered in the 

 males ; the wings appear to be clothed with hair 

 rather than scales. There are three genera. Psyche 

 (Schrank), Fumea (Haworth), and Penthophera 

 (Germar). 



In the last division (which are most nearly allied 

 to the next family, Litkosiid(, in which it is placed 

 by Mr. Curtis), the antennas are but slightly pecti- 

 nated, the wings broad, and the tongue longer than 

 in any of the preceding divisions. It includes the 

 muslin moths (Nudaria, Haworth), as well as the 

 scarlet tiger moths (Hypercompa, Stephens). 



The natural history of many of these moths, which 

 are amongst the most beautiful of the nocturnal lepi- 

 dopterous insects, is very interesting, and will subse- 

 quently be detailed under the heads of the more 

 prominent genera. Great confusion has originated 

 in the generic nomenclature of the different groups 

 of these moths, more especially in the works of 

 Schrunk, Stephens, Ochsenheimer, and Curtis. We 

 have, however, adopted the views of the two former 

 authors, by giving to the tiger moths, which appear 

 to be the types of the family, the generic name of 



ARCTIA (Eyprepia, Ochsenh. and Curtis. Chelonia, 

 Godart). A name indicative of the hairiness of the 

 caterpillars, which in some parts of England are 

 thence termed woolly bears. The beautiful insects 

 com prised in this genus were amongst the first to attract 

 attention of our boyhood to the study of insects, 

 and the most casual observer of nature cannot have 

 failed to notice them from their common occurrence. 

 The body is robust, and the abdomen transversely 

 striped with different colours ; the prevailing tints of 

 the upper wings are rich brown, with white markings, 

 and of the lower bright crimson, with shining blue- 

 black spots. The caterpillars of the common species, 

 Phakena Bombyx Caja of Linnaeus, are solitary, of a 

 dark brown colour, thickly clothed with hairs arising 

 from fleshy tubercles in the middle of each ring of 

 the body, the hairs at the sides being reddish. They 

 are hatched in autumn, and come forth in the spring, 

 feeding upon various plants, especially lettuces and 

 chickweed, and change to chrysalides in June, the 

 moth appearing about the end of July. This species, 

 which is the garden tiger moth, is very common. 

 The cream spot tiger (Arctia villica) is smaller and 

 less common. The small tiger (Nemeophila planta- 

 ginis\ and the ruby tiger (Phragmatobia fuliginosa}, 



Cream-spot tiger. 



The remaining family Bombycidce, comprises some 

 of the most valuable of the insect tribes, since the 

 silk-worm is the larvae of one of the species. The 

 tongue in this family is either very short and flat, not 

 spiral, or entirely obsolete ; the wings are either 

 horizontally extended, deflexed or reversed, and the 

 antennae are strongly pectinated, especially in the 

 males. The want of an oral apparatus is the more 

 remarkable, because some of the species are amongst 

 the largest lepidopterous insects. Their habits are 

 diversified and very interesting. The larvae are 

 naked, with sixteen legs. They spin a cocoon of 

 pure silk. The pupae are destitute of minute hooks 

 on the sides of the body. The family comprises 

 three primary divisions. 1. Those with horizontally 

 extended wings, furnished with eye-like hyaline 

 spots, consisting of the genera Attaciis and AgKa. 

 2. Those with entire wings, and with the palpi not 

 advanced in front, comprising the silk-worm moths, 

 to which we restrict the generic name of Bombyx, 

 the egger and lackey moths, (Lasiocampa of Schrank, 

 but not of the Regne Animal) Eriogaster, Clisiocampa, 

 and some other genera, and 3, those with porrected 

 palpi, and denticulated wings, consisting of the 

 lappet moths, Gastropacha, Dendrolimus, and the 

 drinker moths, Odonestis. 



The history of Bombyx moii, the silk-worm, will 

 form a separate article under its English name, and 

 the more remarkable of the other genera will be 

 found in their respective places. 



BONAPARTEA (Ruiz and Pavon). A rush- 

 leaved herbaceous plant, native of Peru. Class and 

 order Hexandria Monogynia, natural order JJrome- 

 liaceaE. It is a plant of no beauty, hardly deserving 

 a place in the hot-house. 



BONATEA (Willdenow). A handsome orchide- 

 ous plant, native of the Cape of Good Hope. The 

 flowers are said to be splendid. 



BONNETIA (Schreber). A genus of one species 

 of an ornamental tree, native of Trinidad. It belongs 

 to the class and order Polyandria Monogynia, and to 

 the natural order Guttifercs. Its specific name being 

 palustris, would indicate that the tree affects wet 

 ground ; and from its connection with other genera 

 of great importance, implies that it may be possessed 

 of valuable properties not yet sufficiently known. 



BONUS HENRICUS (Linnams). Anglice, Good 

 Henry, is the Chenopodium bonus Henricusof botanists, 

 a common plant found growing in rubbish about old 

 buildings. Why it should have obtained such a 

 name is not easily surmised ; unless it be that it 

 sometimes furnishes the cottage table with a dish like 

 spinach, when no other greens, perhaps, can be had. 



