AM) TIIKIR TRANSFORMATIONS. 63 



several paler patches occupying the middle of the wing, followed by a waved and toothed, pale stripe. The 

 apical portion of the wing is paler, with a row of small black suhmarginal dots, preceded on the costa by a 

 lutcous stripe ; tlie iiind wings are brown, with an angulated, pale stripe runniurr from the outer maro-in half- 

 way acro.ss the middle of tiie wings. The female is more uniformly coloured on the fore winns. The caterpillar 

 is rusty grey or fawn colour. The cocoon i.s described as closely woven, and more resembles silver pajjer than 

 any other material, being, however, perfectly pliant to the touch. 



The moth is of rare occurrence ; having been found chiefly in the southern jiarts of England, in various 

 localities. Tlie most northerly recorded locality is near Worcester. The moth apjx'ars in June and in the early 

 part of July, and the caterpillar in the autumn. It feeds on various forest-trees — hazel, alder, sloe, &c. 



HAMMATOPHORA*, Wesiw. PYG.ERA, Stephens. 



This genus has the wings denticulated along the outer margin, but the posterior edge is not tootiicd ; the 

 thorax is crested with two elevated tufts at the sides ; the antenna; in the males are thick, and obtusely dentated, 

 and furnished with a double series of curved setiv, whieli extend to the tip ; tlie fore wings are elongate- 

 triangular ; the abdomen is elongate, and terminated by an undivided tuft ; the fore feet are extended forwards in 

 repose. The caterpillars arc soft and hairy, sixteen-footcd, and ornamented with interrupted black stripes on a 

 jwle ground ; the pupa state is passed beneath the surface of the ground. 



SPECIKS ].— HAM.M.VTOniUllA BUCEPIIALA. 1'latk Xlll., Fig. 3, 4. 



SvNoNVMEs. — P/ial. (Bomb.) l/ucephala,Linmcm; Donos:ui,\n].l. j pi. 3!), fii. ii — c; Cmtis, Bill. Kut. pi. 5:iO ; Wood, liiJ. Km. t. .'j) 

 pl. Z ; Albiii, pi. 23, fig. 33, a— d : Wilkes, pi. 13 ; Harris, Aunliii.i, | tig. U ; Duucan, Brit. Moths, pi. \o, tig. :! (Pyg.-iia, li.). 



This common but handsome species varies from rather more than 2 to nearly 3 inches in the expansion of 

 its fore wings, which are of a silvery grey colour, but darker along the costa, with a slender transverse black 

 line, preceded by a red one near the base of the wings, several dusky bars across the middle, and with a large, 

 oval, cream-coloured apical patch, enclosing several small buiF spots ; edged within by a curved red line, 

 preceded by a black one, which lines again occur near the anal angle of the fore wings ; the margin is varied with 

 black, grey, and fulvous red. The hind wings are whitish, with a dusky mark near the anal margin. The 

 thorax is bulf, crested with dark brown at the sides and behind. The caterpillar is yellow, with black legs, and 

 several rows of interrupted black stripes. It is found in the autumn on the oak, elm, and various other trees, 

 living whilst young in society ; the moth appearing in June. The chrysalis is subterranean with two small 

 points at the tail. 



* The name Pygajra (derived from the Greek ttS^t;, nates, aad afpeu, porto), was given by Ochsenheimer, evideatly in .illusion to the 

 elongated tufted tails of Anachoret.a, &c., which are his typical species of this genus,, Oclisenheimer corieclly doubting the ])ropriety of placing 

 Bucepbala even at the end of this group. There are, therefore, no grounds for retaining the name of Pyga:ra for the buff-tip moth, for which it 

 is clearly inappropriate. I therefore propose, in its stead, a name derived from the Greek ^jUjuo, nodus, and (pepo, porto, in allusion to the 

 singularly nodose antenna; of the males. I regret to have to introduce this change (which I do upon the strict rules of zoological nomenclature), 

 as it happens that both English and French authors are in accordance in adopting the name Pygajra for the bulf-tip moth. 



