42 PLAT E CCXXXII. 



Phalasna Quercifolia is a rare and interefting Infe£l, and is the 

 largeft of the Englifh bombyces, if we follow the arrangement of 

 the Entomohgia Syjiematica of Fabriciiis, and remove the Linnasan 

 Bombyx Coifus* to a new genus f. 



The trivial name Lappet Moth has been given to this fpecies by 

 fome early Colleftors of Engli(h Infects, becaufe they obferved, 

 when the creature was at reft, :nid the wings expanded in a natural 

 pofition, the anterior part of the fecond pair lapped over the firft, 

 inftead of the firft pair laying on the fecond, as In many other fpe- 

 cies of Phaljena. This appearance is very ftriking, but not pecu- 

 liar to Phal^enaQiiercifoIia. Bombyces, with fimilar reverfed wings, 

 are numerous, and feveral of them natives of this country j as PhaL 

 ^lercusy and Potatoria, 



In a former volume we have given The Pine Lappet Moth ; an 

 Infedl that is extremely uncommon in Great-Britain ; that, with 

 the prefent fpecies, are the only two Britifli Phalsna called Lappet 

 Moths ; another Infecl, clofely allied to P. Qiiercifolia, and fup- 

 pofed to be the PhaL PopuUfolia, is faid to be an Englifti Infe6l, but 

 on what authority, we are not informed. The very different appear- 

 ances of the larva of PhaL Qt^iercifolia in different ftages of its 

 growth, may poflibly have caufed fome miftake ; for in one fkin they 

 are brown, with whitifli marks \ in another greyilh, with dark 

 brown marks 5 and when of a tuU fize, are more inclined to brown 

 and grey in foine fpecimens than in ethers. Notwithftanding, 

 however, the variation of colours, in all its changes, we find tha^t 

 the two oval blue m.arks on the fecond and third fegment of the 

 body are conftant, and fuf!icient to determine the fpecies. The 

 larva of Bombyx Populifolia is very fimilar to that of B. Qiiercifolia, 

 when young, if we may judge by the only figure of it extant, but 

 the mark acrofs the fecond fegnaent is narrow and black ; that on 

 the third fegment broader, with two femi-lunate^ red fpots. — Fide 

 Kkemans BeytraegCy <Jc. Fol. 3. tab. 14. 



« ^oat Moth. f Coffus ligniperda— F^^. 



Thf8 



