204 BRITISH MOTHS 



obtuse. Tlie posterior ones short, as is also the body. Tiie foro wings are ashy-coloured, with black strigse ; at 

 the base of the wing is a duplicated black striga, occasionally obsolete, followed by a second, which is oblique 

 and also geminated; the anterior stigma is large and pale-coloured, with a pale dusky centre and margin; the 

 outer one almost obsolete, followed by a duplicated striga angulated in the middle, whilst a fourth undulated 

 simple striga extends from the apex to the anal angle of these wings. The hind wings ashy-brown, with a central 

 fascia, and the margin dusky ; the antenna bright clay-colour, and the thorax very hairy. There is considerable 

 difference in the distinctness of the strigje in different specimens. The caterpillar is greenish-yellow and speckled, 

 with a red-brown head and with a pale lateral and dorsal line ; it feeds on the birch, poplar, and oak, rolling up 

 the leaves. The moth appears in March and the beginning of April, and is found on the trunks of those trees ; 

 it is a rare species, but taken occasionally in the woods round London. 



SPECIES 7.— CERATOPACHA RIDENS. Plate XLIII., Fig. 9 (the middle right hand figure), and Fig. 10. 



Synonymes. — Noctua riilens, Fabricius ; Haworth ; Duponchel ; 

 Stephens ; Wood, Ind. Eat. pi. U, fig. 3M1. 



Nochca erythrocephala, Esper. 



Noctua Jiamconiis^ Wiener Verz. 



Noctua Putris, Natuiforsclier ; Stuck 8, p. 108. 



Noctua Xanthocero'^, Hiibner. 



Noctua chrysocera, Beckwitli, Linn. Trans. 2, pi. 1, fig. 1 — 3. 



This species measures about 1^ inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a sulphur colour with olive 



and brown markings; a large distinct spot of white at the base of the wing, which extends to a whitish undulating 



striga ; the stigmata are distinct, and followed by a second whitish undulating striga ; towards the apical margin 



the wing is marked with whitish lineolje and black lunuks ; tlie hiud wings are whitish wnth a dark border. The 



markings vary very mucli ; fine speciinens having the pale dentated undulating lines very distinct, but in others 



they arc so blended with the darker shades as nearly to obliterate all the markings, when the moth appears of a 



dirty olive colour, with indistinct markings. The caterpillar is smooth and of a pale yellow green, with two rows 



of white specks on each side ; the head is red ; it feeds on the oak, enclosing itself between two or three leaves spun 



together, generally keeping itself in a curved position when at rest ; it is full-grown at the end of June, when it 



encloses itself in a weak cocoon, usually among the leaves, the moth appearing in April. It is a rare species, but 



was reared by Beckwitli from caterpillars taken at Brentwood, Essex. Also found in the woods round London, 



and in the New Forest, &c. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XLIV. 



Insects. — Fig. 1. Plastenis subtusa (the oUtc moth). Fig. 4. The Caterpillar. 



" Fig. 3. Plastenis retusa (the double kidney). Fig. 2. The Caterpillar. 



" Fig. 5. Cleoceris vimiualis (the minor) shoulderknot. 



" Fig. 6. Clecceris Oo (the scallop-winged oak moth). Fig. 7. The Caterpillar. 



** Fig. 8. Cosmia Pyralina (the lunar spotted pinion). Fig. 9. The Caterpillar. 



" Fig. 10. Cosmia diffinis (the wliite spotted pinion). Fig. 11. The Caterpillar. 



*' Fig. 12. Cosmia affinis (tlie lesser spotted pinion). 



'* Fig. 13. Cosmia Trapezina (the dun bar). 



'* Fig. 14. Cosmia fulvago (the angle striped sallow). 



Figs. 1, 3, 5, 10, and 14 arc from the cabinet of Mr. Marshall. Figs. 6, 12, and 13 are from specimens furnished mc by Mr. II, Doubledav ; 

 and fig. 8 is from the cabinet of Mr. Bentley. Tiic caterpillar of Diffinis and Pyralinaare from the accurate work of Freyer ; the others are from 

 Hubner. H. N. 11. 



PLASTENIS, Boisdoval; TETHEA, Stephe.ns, Guen£e. 

 As the generic names Tethea and Cymatophora are synonymous, I consider it incorrect to retain both for 

 sections into which the old genus to which they were applied has been separated, and accordingly adopt 

 M. Boisduval's name for this group, which is characterised by the fore wings being slightly hooked at the tip. 



