7 6 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY 



Cucullia argentina^ Treitschke, Eur. Schmett. v. (3), p. 98 

 (1826); Kirby, Eur. Butterflies and Moths, p. 254 (1881). 



This species is a native of Southern Russia and Siberia. It 

 expands an inch and a quarter. 



The head and thorax are pale grey, and the abdomen is 

 milk-white. The antennae are white at the base, and brownish 

 above, and the legs are pale grey, darker at the joints. The 

 fore- wings are narrow and lanceolate, pale ochre -yellow, with 

 a broad silvery or pearly-white stripe running from the base 

 across two-thirds of the length of the wing ; the marginal por- 

 tion of the latter is varied with gilded yellow. Near the end of 

 the mother-of-pearl stripe, and on the edge of the white fringes, 

 is a row of black dots. The hind-wings are clear shining 

 milky white. 



The larva feeds on a species of wormwood growing on the 

 steppes. It is sea-green, with seven bluish- \\hite longitudinal 

 lines. It is expanded in the middle of each segment, and is 

 dotted with black in the incisions. The head is bluish-white. 



FAMILY XLII. HELIOTHID^:. 



Larvae cylindrical, with the incisions slightly marked. They 

 feed openly on low plants, often choosing the flowers. 



Pupae conical at the extremity, and enclosed in cocoons. 



Imago of small or moderate size, with simple antennae, and 

 stout palpi ; thorax stout, downy ; abdomen smooth, sub- 

 conical ; tibiae generally spined. Flight usually diurnal. 



GENUS PERIPHANES. 



Periphanes, Hiibner, Verz. bek. Schmett p. 247 (1822?); 

 Stephens, List Brit. Anim. Brit. Mus. v. Lepid. p. 127 



