274 HAUSTELLATA. — LEPIDOPTERA. 



from each other; the first at the base, the second before and the thu-d behind 

 the middle, and a fourth towards the hinder margin, on which is an interrupted 

 black Une : posterior wings paler, with some waved Unes towards the hinder 

 margin. 



Extremely variable ; some examples are almost entirely of a plain cinereous, others 

 of a deep fuscous; without strigce : the latter are more or less confluent in 

 different examples ; and the nervures of the wings are generally marked with 

 a broken fuscous line ; in some instances forming a conspicuous X mark on the 

 disc of the anterior : the posterior wings have sometimes a deep border, at 

 other times they are immaculate. 



Caterpillar dirty-green, with reddish spots and a yellowish lateral line : it feeds 

 on the oak, elm, ash, &c. :— the imago appears in October. 



Very abundant throughout the southern districts of England. 

 " Epping." — Mr. Douhleday. " Strand-on-the-green." — Rev. A.H. 

 Matthews. " Newcastle, Meldon-park, Keswick, &c. common." 

 — G. Wailes, Esq. " Baron- wood." — T. C. Hei/sham, Esq. 



Genus CCXXIV. — Cpieimatobia* mild. 



Palpi very minute, depending, remote, obtuse, slightly squamose ; triarticulate ; 

 the basal joint curved; second as long, cylindric; terminal minute, ovate : 

 ■maxilla very short. Antenna; stout, slender, the articulations produced within 

 and strongly pubescent in the males ; simple in the females : head smaU, 

 rounded : eyes globose, small : thorax slender : luings ample, thin, entire, 

 nearly wanting in the females; anterior with transverse lines or fasciae, 

 rounded on the hinder margin: posterior ovate-triangular, as large as the 

 anterior: abdomen very short and slender in the males, with a small anal 

 tuft, stouter and obtuse in the females : legs simple. Larva slender, naked, 

 with pale lateral lines, not tuberculated : pupa subterraneous. 



The insects of this genus are remarkable for the plainness of their 

 hues, which partake of the character of the season in which they 

 appear — the winter, whence their name. In the minuteness of 

 their palpi they resemble the preceding genus, but from that they 

 differ by the dissimilarity of the antennse and palpi, the texture of 

 the wings, the females being nearly apterous, &c. 



Sp. 1. brumata. Alis anticis cinereo-fuscis, strigis ohsoletis saturatioribus, pos- 

 ticis alhidis-immaculatis. (Exp. alar. $ 1 unc. 1 — 2 lin.) 



Xiif/M, hycms ; /S/«w, vivo. 



