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Genus URANIA. 



As already mentioned, Urania is distinguished from 

 all other groups, except Thaliura, by the shape 

 of the antenna?, and an obvious character for sepa- 

 rating it from that is the presence of only a single 

 tail. The palpi are short and project a little beyond 

 the head, the terminal joint being nearly naked. 

 The tibia? of the anterior legs are furnished with 

 spines in the middle; and the claws are minute. 

 When at rest the anterior wings are kept in a hori- 

 zontal position, or but slightly turned upwards , 

 one peculiarity among many others in which they 

 resemble the nocturnal lepidoptera. We are in- 

 debted to Mr. Macleay for an account of the meta- 

 morphoses of a species which he has named U. 

 Fernandina?) but which is probably synonymous 

 with some previously known. The caterpillar feeds 

 on a kind of Omphalea which grows abundantly on 

 the sea-coast of Jamaica. It never appears during 

 the heat of the day, but reposes in a torpid state 

 within a thin transparent web on the under side of 

 the leaves, in order to avoid the rays of the sun. 

 Its only time of feeding is during the night. In 

 its appearance and habits it shows more affinity to 

 the larYEe of the Bombycidas than to the diurnal 

 Lepidoptera. When about to change to a chrysalis 



