LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS. 2? 



clined, forming a triangle with the body; the 

 superior palpi are concealed, the lower ones very 

 small, in the form of tubercles, cylindrical or 

 conical, and tapering towards their point ; they 

 have either no tongue, or it is very indistinct ; 

 the antennae are pectinated, at least in the males ; 

 abdomen very large in the females ; caterpillar 

 with fourteen or sixteen feet ; in those with 

 fourteen feet, they have a forked tail in place of 

 the last two. 



Linnaeus included this genus among his Phalsena, and formed 

 ne of its divisions. The body of the Bombices is, however, 



always thicker than the Phalsenae, and they live in the perfect 

 tate for a much shorter time than the other nocturnal lepidop- 

 erous insects. Incapable of imbibing nourishment in this state, 

 being destitute of a tongue and trunk, the winged insect exists 



only for the purpose of reproduction. 



FAMILY II. NOCTUO-BOMBYCITES. 



I. The caterpillars are always smooth, with sixteen feet, inha- 

 biting the interior of different vegetables, generally ligneous 

 ones. The margins of the segments of the abdomen of the 

 chrysalis are either dentated or spinous ; the trunk is spiral 

 in the perfect insect, always very short, or almost none ; 

 antennae of some males furnished interiorly with a double 

 row of beards ; those of the females, and of both sexes in 

 others, having a series of short rounded teeth in all their 

 length. 



The genera are Cossus and ZEUZERA. 



II. The caterpillars always living exposed naked, and smooth, 

 with fourteen feet, the anal ones wanting ; posterior extre- 

 mity of the body pointed, forked, or entire and truncated ; 



