tJBSINES. 



FAMILY VII. THE 



42. Tlie Transparent Burnct (Zyyxna Minos). 



43. The Broad-bordered Five-spotted Burnet (Zyyxna 



Trifolii). 



44. The Narrow-bordered Five-spotted Burnet (Zygxnti 



Lonicerse). 



45. The Six-spotted Burnet (Zygxna Filipendulsf). 



THE SEVENTH FAMILY of Moths, called 

 Zygcenidce, are remarkable for their beauti- 

 fully-spotted fore wings, and their bright red 

 hind wings. The caterpillars are stout and 

 hairy, and spin silken cocoons on the stems 

 of grasses, &c. These Moths, like the last, 

 are slow and lethargic in dull weather, but 

 are very beautiful objects when flying in the 

 sunshine, the bright red of their hind wings 

 being then fully displayed. 



42. The Transparent Burnet (Zygxna Minos). 



42. THE TRANSPARENT BURNET. Fore 

 wings dull red, semi-transparent, with all the 

 margins blackish dingy green ; hind wings 

 red, with a very narrow black border ; antennae 

 club-shaped, very blunt at the tip ; antennae, 

 thorax, body, and legs quite black. " The 

 caterpillar is pale yellow or greenish, with two 

 rows of twelve black spots on each side ; its 

 head and fore legs are blackish ; it feeds on Tri- 

 felium montanum, bird's foot trefoil, Lotus 

 corniculatus, and horse-shoe vetch, .Hippocre- 

 pis comosa" We have quoted the description of 

 the caterpillar as well as that of the following 

 species from Mr. Stainton, who has translated 

 them from Duponchel. The cocoon in which 

 the caterpillar turns to a chrysalis is oval and 

 blunt at both ends ; it is of an earthy brown 

 colour, and is glued on the stones which so 

 abound in the county of Gal way, where the 

 insect is principally taken, as to be called 

 the pavement formation, which consists of 

 platforms of solid rock with narrow interstices 



of verdure between them : this is the character 

 of extensive districts, and is apparently caused 

 by the long-continued action of currents of 

 water, which has removed all earthy sub- 

 stances. The Moths fly actively in the sun- 

 shine during the early part of the day, but 

 after 4 o'clock P.M. they are to be captured 

 with the greatest ease, as they sleep on the 

 flowers ; in some favoured spots every daisy 

 will have its tenant, and as many as eight or 

 nine are sometimes seen clustered on a single 

 flower of the dandelion, giving it at a little 

 distance, the appearance of a gorgeous crimson 

 flower, enchanting alike to the naturalist and 

 the painter. We are indebted for these 

 observations to a gentleman who has paid 

 great attention to the habits of this insect. 

 The caterpillar is found in May, the chrysalis 

 and Moth in June. This insect has not yet 

 been found in England, but is most abundant 

 in the west of Ireland, and also occurs both 

 on the east and west coasts of Scotland. (The 

 scientific name isZy/cena Minos.} 



43. The Broad -bordered Five-spotted Burnet (Zygrnia 

 Trifolii). 



43. THE BROAD-BORDERED FIVE-SPOTTED 

 BURNET. Fore wings blackish green, with 

 five red spots ; two of them are close together 

 at the base and are of an oblong form : two 

 others, of a roundish form, are placed side by 

 side about the middle of the wing ; these two 

 often touch each other ; and beyond them, 

 towards the tip of the wing, is a fifth almost 



