LEPIDOPTERA. 299 
in its larva state. The posterior extremity of the body terminates 
in a point, which in several is forked, or even presents two long; 
articulated, and movable appendages, forming a sort of tail, With 
respect to their proboscis, palpi, and antenna, these Insects are but 
slightly removed from the preceding ones. Some,such as the 
Dicranoura, Godart.—Cerrura, Schr.—Harpyia, Ochs., 
Have the external appearance of the Sericariz and Chelonie; the 
antenne of the males terminate in a simple and curved thread. The 
posterior extremity of the body of the caterpillars is forked *. 
Some others, such as the 
Praryererrx, Lasp.—Drepana, Schr., 
Closely resemble the true Phalenz. Their wings are broad, and the 
superior angle of the posterior extremity of the upper onesis salient 
or faleated. The body is slender. That of the caterpillars terminates 
in a simple and truncated point. They bend the edges of the leaves 
on which they live and feed, and fix them in that position by means 
of silk. Their cocoon is very slight, and, in a word, these Lepidop- 
tera are connected with the Dicranoura in their larvee state, and with 
the Phaleenites as perfect Insects f. 
Those which compose the fifth section of the nocturnal Lepidop- 
tera, that of the Nocruauirss, Lat., are similar to the preceding In- 
sects in the figure and relative size of the wings, and in their position 
when at rest, but present the two following distinguishing characters : 
a horny and most commonly long, spirally rolled proboscis; inferior 
palpi, abruptly terminated by a very small or much more slender joint 
than the preceding one; the latter much wider, and strongly com- 
pressed, 
The body of the Noctuelites is more covered with scales than with 
a woolly down. Their antenne are usually simple. The back of 
the thorax is frequently tufted, and the abdomen forms an elongated 
cone; they fly with great rapidity. Some of them appear during the 
day. 
Their caterpillars have usually sixteen feet; the others have two or 
four less, but the two posterior, or anals, are never absent, and in those 
which present but twelve, the anterior pair of the membranous ones 
are as large as the next. Most of these caterpillars enclose themselves 
in a cocoon to complete metamorphosis. 
This section embraces the Noctue of Linnzus. 
_ All the generic sections made in modern times, the characters of 
which are rather taken from the Insect in its larva state than when 
perfect, belong to the two following subgenera. 
* See Ochsenheimer, Godart, Hiibner; and Fischer, Entom. Imp. Russ. 
+ The Phalena falcataria, Ph. lacertinayia Fab., and his Bombyx compressa. I at 
first intended to form a particular section with this subgenus, which would have been 
intermediate between the Pseudo-Bombyces and the Phalenites. Ochsenheimer 
places it at the end of the Noctue, to pass from the Enclidie to the preceding sec- 
tion; but the Platypterices appear to us more nearly allied, in their caterpillar state, 
to the Harpyic of that naturalist, than to the Enclidiz and other Noctue, whose 
caterpillars are pseudo-geometre. 
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