AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS. jy5 



whitish striga ; the principal veins are whitish, which is the case with all of them towards the tip of the wing 

 where they intersect a rich, broad, rosy bar, preceding the subapical striga, which is almost obsolete. The hind 

 wings are brown ; the thorax rosy, with white markings. The caterpillar is green, with three slender, white, 

 dorsal, longitudinal stripes, and a fulvous lateral one. The moth was first taken by Jlr. Stephens in 1810, near 

 Hertford. It has since been found in Surrey, Kent, Norfolk, Yorkshire, &c.; Chatmoss, Mr. Edleston. 



TRACHEA. OcH., (nec Roisduval, HADENA, p. Gu^n, Boisn.) 

 The only species in this genus, as restricted by Mr. Stephens, has the head densely squamose, the thorax 

 quadrate with a bifid crest in the middle, the segments of the abdomen tufted above, tiie fore wings elongate- 

 triangular ; the antennaj slender in both sexes ; the palpi densely squamose ; the terminal joint distinct, and 

 knob-hke. The caterpillar is smooth, naked and coloured, with the penultimate segment angulated above as in 

 the Mamestra;. 



SPECIES 1.— TRACHEA ATRIPLICIS. Plate XXXIX., Fig. (>, 7. 



Synonymes — Phal. ,\oct. atriplicis, Uanicm \ Wilkes :i, pi. 2 ; nonovan, vol. 8, pi. 2i;2, fig. 1 ; Hawortli; Stephens; Curtis, 



Brit. Em. pi. 4.'!I ; Worn], Ind. Ent. pi. 13, fig. 289. 



This very beautiful insect measures about 1 i inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a somewhat 

 ashy tint, clouded with darker brown shades, and varied with yellow or greenish markings. Near the base of 

 the wing is the first pale striga, edged with black and crenated ; beyond which towards the hind margin is a large 

 pale patch with a dusky centre ; the second striga is transverse and very undulated, succeeded by the 

 characteristic ])ortion of the wing, the ground of which is rich dark brown; the anterior stigma is small and 

 annular, immediately behind which is a small supplemental stigma, margined with black, on which, and the 

 preceding, rests a very distinct whitish oblique central patch ; the outer stigma is very large and luteous or 

 greenish, witli the centre varied with dusky ; the third striga is very much curved and denticulated, slender and 

 pale, followed by a various coloured space, which is pale-green or luteous towards the anal .angle ; the subapical 

 striga is slender, pale, ami much waved, followed by a darker stripe, the apex marked witli a double row of small 

 black marks. The hind wings brown, with the margins darker coloured. 



The caterpillar is dark green, with a dorsal and lateral stripe of black, which is also the colour of the incisions 

 of the body, a bright fulvous stripe running along the spiracles. One figured by Rcisel, is, however, of a flesh 

 colour ; it feeds on Atriplex hortensis, Rumex acetosa, &c. The perfect insect is rare, but has occurred in 

 distant parts of the country, near London, Wisbeach, Cheltenham, in June and September^ 



V.ALERIA, Ctermak, Steph., Guis. METELLA pars, Boisduval. 

 The typical and only British species of this genus, is at once distinguished from all the other Noctuida; by 

 having the antennas in both sexes bipectinated, (more strongly in the males); the tips of the pectinations 

 thickened ; the palpi have the terminal joint exposed and elongate ; the thorax is robust and slightly crested ; the 

 abdomen thick, and the fore wings notched along the apical margin. The caterpillar is naked, having only a few 

 scattered hairs ; it feeds on trees. 



SPECIES 1.— VALERIA OLBAGINA. Pi-ate XXXIX., Fig. 8, ;). 



Synonymfs, — Bombyi oleagina, Wien. Vei-z. ; Fabricius ; Hiibucr ; Haworth ; Sowerby, British Miscell. I , pi. .'J/; Donovan, 

 vol. 13, pi. -139 ; Stephens ; Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 13, fig. 20U. 



This fine species measures about Ij inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a brown colour uiucii 



B B 



