NOCTUID^. XANTHIA. 65 



Caterpillar pale, with a brown head: — it feeds on the birch:— the imago comes 

 forth about the middle of September. 



Very common; frequenting woods and plantations where the 

 birch is plentiful throughout the metropolitan district. 



Sp. 3. gilvago. Alls sulphureis fulvo vix nebulosis, puncto pone medium strigfique 

 postica punctorum fuscorum. (Exp. alar. 1 unc. 4 — 5 lin.) 



No. gilvago. Fabricius?—X.2L. gilvago. Steph. Catal. part ii. p. 98. No. 6319. 



Head, thorax, and anterior wings nearly of a plain unclouded pale sulphureous 

 or lemon-yellow, the latter with a dusky spot in the place of the base of the 

 posterior stigma, and a row of minute, though very distinct, fuscous dots to- 

 wards the hinder margin, five or six in number; the anterior stigma rather 

 paler than the rest of the wing, with a faint luteous circle ; cilia immaculate : 

 posterior wings and cilia pure white. 



Probably a mere extraordinary variety of the foregoing : its chief diflference from 

 var. S. of which consists in its very pale sulphureous-yeUow unclouded anterior 

 wings, and in the distinctness and intensity of the posterior series of dots. 



Taken, but very rarely, in company with the former, at Darenth 

 and Birch woods. " Epping, once taken." — Mr. H. Douhlcdaij. 



Sp. 4. aurago. Alls anticis aureo-Jlavis rufo-nehulosis,fasciis duabus purpurea- 

 fuscescentihus. (Exp. alar. 1 unc. 4 — 5 lin.) 



No. aurago. Wien. V. — Xa. aurago. Steph. Catal part ii. p. 95. N'o. 6320. 



Head orange : thorax the same, mixed with purplish-red : anterior wings golden- 

 yellow, clouded with rufous, with a distinct, somewhat trilobate, purplish-red 

 or fuscescent fascia at the base, and a broad one of similar hue on the 

 hinder margin, having a waved striga, composed of golden-yellow spots in the 

 middle ; which striga arises from an expanded spot of similar hue near the 

 apex of the costa, and divides the fascia, as it were, into two, the exterior por- 

 tion being of a deeper colour, and frequently spotted with yellow ; anterior 

 stigma formed by a subannular rufous cloud ; posterior very indistinct, with a 

 rufous cloud at its base ; ciUa fuscescent, obsoletely spotted with yellow at the 

 base : posterior wings pale reddish-yellow, with an indistinct posterior striga, 

 the margin, and the cilia rufous. 



As in its congeners, this beautiful and very distinct species varies considerably 

 in the intensity and brilhancy of its colour. 



Caterpillar griseous, with oblique fuscous lineolse : — it feeds on the sallow and on 

 wUlows : — the imago is produced towards the end of August or beginning of 

 September. 



Not common ; taken occasionally at Darenth-wood, and near 

 Peckham. 



Sp. 5. centrago. jilis anticis crenatis aureo-Jlavis, fascid unangulatd medio 

 margineque postico fuscescentibus, thorace rufescente. (Exp. alar. 1 unc. 4—5 

 Un.) 



Haustellata. Vol. III. 1st August, 1829. f 



