292 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



The larva is naked, with the head small, and the body 

 tapering in front. It lives in the stems of elder, &c., feeding 

 on the pith. The pupa is scabrous. 



THYRIS USITATA. 



(Plate CLV., Fig. 5.) 



Thyris usitata, Butler, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (4) v. p. 367 



(1879)- 



"Dark purplish brown, with cupreous reflections; wings 

 spotted with golden yellow, most of the spots forming a sub- 

 marginal series ; primaries with two unequal and nearly central 

 hyaline white spots, the larger one in front of the smaller ; 

 secondaries with a broad, irregular hyaline white belt upon the 

 basal half, but not reaching the costal margin ; head, collar, 

 and palpi golden yellow at the sides ; tegulse edged internally 

 with yellow; a snow-white spot on the shoulder; abdomen 

 crossed by two slender white bands. Wings below nearly as 

 above ; the yellow spots larger and more numerous ; venter 

 crossed by two broad white belts " (Butler}. 



This species is closely allied to the well-known European 

 Thyris fenestrella (Scopoli). It is a native of Japan. 



This is by far the most extensive group of the Lepidoptera, 

 at least in temperate climates, and includes a third of our 

 British species. The Tinea, are moths of small size, usually 

 with simple antennae, rounded, or long and narrow, wings, 

 generally with long, or very long fringes, and sometimes with 

 very simple neuration. The structure of the head and palpi, 

 and the form of the hind-wings varies considerably. 



The larvae, too, vary much in structure and habits ; they 

 may be wholly footless, or may have from ten to eighteen legs ; 

 but sixteen is the normal number, as with most Lepidoptcra, 



