SPILOSOMA VIRGO. 175 



the extremities; neck red, with two small black 

 streaks above it ; thorax with a black stripe in the 

 centre and another on each side; abdomen with 

 three rows of black spots, those along the back be- 

 ing largest. Anterior thighs red, having two black 

 spots on them close to the head. 



Abbot has given an accurate delineation of the 

 caterpillar. It is dark brown, with five pale or 

 yellow longitudinal stripes, each segment bearing a 

 transverse row of fulvous tubercles from which 

 springs a dense tuft of brown hairs. It feeds on a 

 great variety of plants, but it seems to prefer plan- 

 tain (Plantago major), Indian corn, and pease. 

 A specimen kept by Abbot was hatched on the 

 23 d of July, spun the 28th Aug^t, and the fly 

 appeared September 9th. The chrysalis has five 

 reddish bands, and terminates in a small mucro. 



SPILOSOMA VIRGO. 

 PLATE XIX. Fig. 3. 



Phalsena Virgo, Linn.; Abbot and Smith, Lepid. Georg., ii. pi. 62. 

 — Bombyx Virgo, Fabr. ; Encyc. Meth. 



The antenna3 of this handsome moth are ferruginous : 

 thorax cream coloured or fulvous, with three broad 

 black stripes, and two small spots of the same 



