74 



BRITISH MOTHS 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XV. 



Insects. — Fig. 1. Ccruia Integra. 



" Fig. 2. Cenira biciispis. 11. Tlic C'.-itcr|iilIar. 



" Fig. 3. Ccnira arcuata. 



" Fig. 4. Ceiurafuicula (the Kittcn-TOoth). 5. The Catfi'ijillar. C. Another Catcrpillai- of the same. 



« Fi". 7. Ccrura latifascia (the broaci-harred Kitten-motli). 



" Fig. 8. C'ernra bifida. 9. The Caterpillar. 



" Fig. 10. Cerura fuscinula, 



" Fig. 12. Cerura vinula (the Puss-moth). 13. The Caterpilbar. 



" Fig. 14. Cerura erminea (the Ermine Puss-moth). 15. The Caterpillar. 



Plants. — Fig. 16. Salix Russelliana (the Bedford Willow). 



" Fig. 17. Betiila alba (tlic common Birch). 



In tlie small P.iss-moths I have shown what are considered the distinct species of continental entomologists, as figured by IlUbner ; viz. 

 C. bic.spis, C. bifida, C. furcula, and C. fuscinula. Of the first three one only appears to me to be, beyond doubt, British, viz. C. furcula, 

 the specimen I have drawn agreeing perfectly with specimens in the British Museum and other collections. C. fuscinula, the grey one, is said to 

 have been once taken, and in the possession of Mr. Devignes of the Entomological Society ; but the British specimens said to be C. bicuspis and 

 C. bifida, which 1 have seen, appear to me to be merely variations of C. furcula, which I am farther induced to consider the only British 

 species as it is the only one that has been found in the larva state, Standish's drawing of which I have figured, and which, though drawn witl> 

 a somewhat different feeling, accords well with Hiibner's figure. Yet, 



No. 1. 



No. 3. 



No. (i. 



No. 2. 



No. 4. 



No. 7. 



notwithstanding, English collectors not only claim all the continental 

 species, but also other indigenous ones, n.amely, C. latifascia of Curtis, 

 and C. Integra and C. arcuata of Stephens ; and perhaps not without 

 some show of reason. I have therefore' figured these specimens, and 

 give i\lr. Stephens's ingenious definition of the asserted British species 

 below. I do not give the above opinion as mature, not having been 

 able to see a sufficient number of specimens. I must add, however, 

 that 1 put but little faith in the furcation of the vein as a character, as 

 I have observed every degree of furcation, even from a mere tendency 

 to fork, (observable only with a microscope) to a complete and deep 

 branching, and this without any accordance with the other specific 

 distinctions. 



C. bicuspis. No. 1, and C. iulegra. No. -, have the first nervine 

 of the hind wing simple, bicuspis having the e.Yterior dark band of the 

 fore wing imperfect or nearly obliterated, iutcgra having it perfect and 



well defined. 



C. fincula. No. 3, arcuata, No. 4, and C. latifascia. No. 5, have the first nervure of the bind wing slightly forked; furcula having tiie 

 exterior dark band of the fore wing imperfect or nearly obliterated, arcuata having it perfect, and also the maiks nearer the tip well defined all 

 across the wing in a somewhat arched form. Latifascia has the whole dark portion of tiie upper wing much wider than furcula or arcuata. 



C. fuscinula. No. 6, and C. bifida. No. 7, have the first nervure of the hind wing deeply forked, fuscinula having the exterior dark band 



of the fore wing imperfect, and bifida having it well defined. 



I have not figured the chrysalids of any of the above species, as they do not present any unusual peculiarities of form or colour, notwithstanding 



the singular conformation of the caterpillar. For the same reason 1 did not think it worth while to figure the chrysalids of Stauropus Fagi and 



the Notodonta in plate 13. 



C. bicuspis, C. bifida, C. furcula, and C. fuscinula, are from Iliibner ; C. arcuata and C. Integra arc from the specimens in the cabinet of 



Mr. Stephens ; and C. latifascia is from Curtis's figure. C. vinula is from a specimen in the British Museum, and C. erminea from a foreign 



specimen in Mr. Stephens's cabinet. The larva of C. vinula is from a drawing made from nature, and all the others are from Hiibner, with the 



exception of the one of furcula, after Standish's dra-.-.ing. II. N. II. 



