186 LEPIDOPTEKA. 



slender for a Noctua. It is not a very common species (Fam. 

 Stilbidce). 



Polydesma, Boisd., includes several African and Indian species, 

 of moderate size. They are brown or reddish, with numerous 

 denticulated black transverse lines (Fam. Polydesmidce). 



The Homopteridce are a group of very dull-coloured species, 

 chiefly American ; the hind wings are generally marked with pale 

 lines. The species are very similar, and are not easily distin- 

 guished from each other. 



Cocytodes, Gue*n., is a handsome Indian genus of rather large 

 moths. They are dark brown, with blue markings on the hind 

 wings. The type of the family Catephidce, to which this genus 

 belongs, is Catephia Alchymista, Fabr., which has black fore wings 

 with paler borders; the hind wings are white, with a broad 

 white-spotted black border. It is a common species in Southern 

 and Central Europe, and has once been found in England. 



The same contrast of black and white is common in the 

 American genus Bolina, Gue"n. But the species of Syneda, Gue"n., 

 which are most numerous in the Southern and Western United 

 States, are much prettier insects, frequently with yellow hind 

 wings (Fam. Bolinidce). 



The great genus Catocala, Ochs., is far more abundant in 

 Europe and North America than in other parts of the world. The 

 fore wings are brown or grey, with zigzag lines, and are assimi- 

 lated in colour to the bark of trees, on which the insects usually 

 rest. But the hind wings are banded with pale blue, red, or 

 yellow ; or else, in some of the North American species, are quite 

 black. The larvae of this and several allied families are called 

 " Half-loopers," the pro-legs being imperfectly developed, which 

 causes them to arch their backs in walking, though not to the 

 same extent as in the Geometrce (Fam. Catocalidce). 



The Ophideridce are a small family of large and handsome 

 species, entirely confined to the Tropics. In Opliideres, Boisd., the 

 fore wings are brown, generally with an oblique line running from 

 the tip, and more or less varied with white, and sometimes with 

 green. The hind wings are always yellow, with a black border 

 on the upper half, and a thick curved black mark in the middle. 

 The proboscis is very strong, and is used for perforating and 

 sucking oranges, and doubtless other fruits also. Miniodes 

 Discolor, Guen., is a beautiful West African moth, with rose- 

 coloured hind wings. The fore wings are brown, varied with 



