154 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



as the species comprised therein appear distinct enough from 

 section (a), and, moreover, have not so far been detected in Britain. 

 The following remarks upon the insects enumerated in section (a) 

 are mainly founded on a study of Rambur's paper : — 



CUCULLIA VERBASCI (fig. 6). 



The imago is so well known that it is, perhaps, unnecessary to 

 say anything about its colour or markings. 



The larva is found on all kinds of Verbascum, also on 

 Scrophularia canina, S. ramosissima, and S. aquatica. It is the 

 only species of Cucullia which seems to feed on V. thapsus, and 

 also the only one which would appear to prefer the leaves to the 

 flowers; often hides beneath the leaves, and is met with from 

 May until about the end of August. The imago chiefly emerges 

 in May. 



Guenee gives March and April as the month for the imago ; 

 Stainton, the end of April and May; Newman, April; Kirby, 

 April and May ; Hofmann, May. 



Cucullia scrophularia (fig. 1). 



Compared with C. verhasci, G. scropliularice is always smaller, 

 and there is more yellow and less brown in the composition of its 

 colour ; the costal margin of the fore wings is ashy brown, or, in 

 some specimens, blackish; the black dots above the median 

 nervure are deeper in colour and more conspicuous ; the inner 

 margin is brown, but the crescents are less whitish. The cowl 

 or hood is bordered with reddish brown, never with red. 



The larva bears a strong resemblance to that of G. verhasci, 

 but it is always much smaller ; there is a dorsal series of large 

 yellow patches, upon each of which four black spots are placed ; 

 the two posterior black spots are longer, sometimes touching the 

 black spot placed just above the spiracle ; they are always united, 

 and often also with the anterior pair, thus forming a kind of X ; 

 the four spots on the sides are rather large ; the other black 

 markings are pretty much as in G. verhasci. The head is deep 

 yellow, with a frontal black mark shaped like an inverted V. It 

 feeds on the flowers and seeds of Scrophularia nodosa, S. aquatica, 

 Verbascum hlattaria, and V. blattaroides. 



The species is widely distributed, though less common than 

 G. verhasci. It is found in Germany and France, rather more 

 frequently met with in the south, occuring about the same time 

 as G. vej^basci. 



Guenee compares G. scrophularice with G. verhasci, and says 

 that it is nearly as common as that species, and occurs at the 

 same time ; this, according to him, would be March and April. 

 Stephens, Doubleday, Stainton, Newman, and others mention 

 May. 



Duponchel (Hist. Nat. Lep. vii. pi. 124) gives two very 

 different figures of this species; his fig, 3 represents a pale 



