196 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



As this is the only genus of the family, it is unnecessary to 

 characterise it. There are only three species known, all 

 European. Two of them are British ; the third, B. puella 

 (Esper), is common in South-central Europe, and feeds on aspen. 



Concerning the commonest species, B. parthenias (Linn.) 

 described below, Guenee writes : " The larvae live in large trees, 

 and drop themselves down suspended by a thread, like many 

 Geometrce. They are found in autumn, chiefly in rather large 

 woods, and the moths fly in the earliest days of spring, or 

 rather at the end of winter, among the still leafless birch trees. 

 Their flight is active and sustained, but the sun is indispen- 

 sable to rouse them from their torpor, for his rays are scarcely 

 hidden, even for a moment, when the moths at once suspend 

 their flight, to resume it immediately upon his re-appearance. 

 It will be seen that these habits most resemble those of the 

 Phalcenida which fly in company with it in early spring, which is 

 in accordance with the shape and habits of the larvae." 



THE ORANGE UNDERWING. BREPHOS PARTHENIAS. 



Noctua parthenias, Linnaeus, Faun. Suec. p. 308, no 1160 

 (1761); Esper, Schmett. iv. (i), p. 53, Taf. 85, figs. 5-8 

 (1786?); Hiibner, Eur. Schmett. iv. pi. 74, figs. 341, 342 

 (1804?); Knoch, Beitr. Ins. ii. p. 71, pi. 3, fig. 8 (1782). 



Phalcena fulvata, Pallas, Reise. iii. p. 732, no. 95 (1775). 



Brephos parthenias^ Treitschke, Schmett. Eur. v. (3), p. 379 

 (1826); Kirby, Eur. Butterflies and Moths, p. 296, pi. 41, 

 fig. 8 (1881); Buckler, Larvae of Brit. Lepid. vi. pi. 101, 

 figs. 6-6 b (1895). 



Brephos notha, Stephens, 111. Brit. Ent. Haust. iii. p. 137 



(1831), nee Hiibner. 

 The Orange Underwing is common in Central and Northern 



Europe, and in Siberia. It expands from an inch and a quarter 



to an inch and a half. 



