20G 



BRITISH MOTHS. 





otherwise I should feel inclined to place the 

 beautiful Kentish Glory (Endromis versicolor] 

 next to the Great Prominent (Notodonta 

 trcpida), to which it is so nearly allied ; and 

 to remove the chocolate-tips (Clostera), and, 

 perhaps, also the buff-tips (Pijgara) to the 

 neighbourhood of the genus Ci/matophora, to 

 which they are very closely related. 



With regard to the proper place of the 

 Cuspidates in a natural system, I also differ 

 from my friend. I incline to place them in 

 close proximity to the Sphingiforms, especially 

 the genus Smerinthus, and I think they should 

 be followed by the Tau Emperor (Aglia tau], 

 introduced by Ha worth as a British insect ; 

 and this again by the Yerticillates, of which 

 the Emperor moth (Saturnia Carpini) is the 

 only British example, but which contains three 

 European, and a host of Asiatic and American 

 species, some of them lately rendered very 

 interesting from the praiseworthy attempts to 

 obtain silk from their cocoons. 



379. The Scalloped Hook-tip (Platypteiyx lacertula). 



.379. THE SCALLOPED HOOK-TIP. The palpi 

 are very small, scarcely perceptible ; the an- 

 tenna; of the mule arc decidedly pectinated, 



those of the female very slightly so ; the 

 wings are broad and ample ; the fore wings an 

 pointed at the tip, falcate, and have the him 

 margin toothed; the teeth or angles are five 

 in number, three small ones immediately below 

 the tip, and two larger ones below these ; their 

 colour is wainscot brown, having two oblique 

 transverse lines, the outer of which is angled 

 immediately after leaving the costal margin ; 

 between these is a small circular cliscoidal 

 spot ; there is great diversity in colour in dif- 

 ferent specimens varying from wainscot-brown 

 to umber-brown ; and in the male the hind- 

 marginal area is traversed by a transvers 

 whitish bar : the hind wings are paler, am 

 have a very minute discoidat dot. 



This species is double-brooded, the cater- 

 pillar occurring in June and again in Septem- 

 ber. The EGG is laid on birch (Betula alba] ir 

 June, and the CATERPILLARS, hatching in aboul 

 two weeks, feed on the leaves ; they are full- 

 fed in September, and then spinning a slight 

 cocoon among the leaves, turn to CHRYSALIS 

 and remain in that state during the winter; 

 when full-fed the caterpillar rests in nearly a 

 straight position, but with both extremities 

 slightly raised, the ventral claspers only being 

 attached to a silken pad which is apparently 

 spun for the purpose of affording a safer foot- 

 hold : when jerked by a sudden blow, it 

 falls hanging by a thread; the head is as 

 wide as the second segment, prone, and 

 slightly indented on the crown; the body 

 is rather depressed, tmd has two tubercles 

 placed tranvcrsely on the back of the third 

 and fourth segments and two much smaller 

 ones on the twelfth : its colour is yellowish- 

 brown, blotched, and variegated with darker 

 biown. 



The MOTH appears on the wing in June and 

 September. It occurs not uncommonly in the 

 southern counties of England, but not so com- 

 monly in the north. (The scientific name is 

 Platypieryx lacertu/a.) 



Obs. The figures were drawn from speci- 

 mens very differently coloured, in the hope 

 that the difference would be exhibited in the 

 engraving: this unfortunately is not suffi- 

 ciently the ease. 



