AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS. 047 



PiiYTOMETRA CRASsiuscuLA, Ilaworth ; Stephens (Ophiusa cr.) ; Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 17, fig- 436. 

 Expansion of fore wings 1} inch ; gray-brown, with two darker, broad, nearly straight fascite across the fore 

 wings, with a small central dark dot, and a short black streak near the tip of the costa, formed of triangular dots. 

 This is common in North America, whence I have received several specimens. Jlr. Stephens' specimen, stated 

 by him to have been captured in the north of England, was, I am informed by IMr. II. Doubleday, obtained 

 from j\Ir. Weaver, who had it from some dealer in the north. 



Phytometua grandirena, Haworth ; Stephens (Ophiusa gr.) ; has the fore wings blackish-gray, with two 

 oblique divaricating pale fasciaj, between which is a large black kidney-shaped spot ; hind wings pitchy brown, 

 with a pale line at the base and apex, and a large central spot. Described by Mr. Haworth from a specimen in 

 Dr. Leach's collection, stated to have been caught at Bristol, and two others from Georgia in North America ; 

 whence the indigenousness of the former individual is very questionable. 



Phaljena Noctua leucomelas, Haworth ; Stephens (Catephia 1.) ; Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 54, fig. 54 ; 

 N. alchymista, lib. ; N. convergens, Fab. ; Anophia leucomelas, Guenee. Fore wings blackish-brown, with 

 black waves, and a large white spot ; hind wings white at the base, with a broad black border. One or two 

 specimens in the old collections were thus named ; but one of these now in Mr. Bentley's collection, is, as 

 Mr, H. Doubleday informs us, quite distinct from the Linnsean leucomelas, and in fact belongs to a group which 

 is purely American in its geographical range. 



Catephia trifasciata, Stephens ; Wood, Ind. Ent., pi. 17, fig. 437 ; expands li inch in the fore wings, 

 which are glaucous ashy, with three brownish fascia; ; the hind wings brown, with the margin darker, and two 

 pale strigas. This is also, most probably, a North American species. Mr. Stephens received his specimen from 

 Mr. Kirby, who is said to have taken it at Barham, in Suffolk. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE LV. 



Insects.— Fig. 1. Mormo Maura (tlic old lady, or great brown bar). 2. The CaUipillar. 



" Fig. 3. Catocala Fra.tiiii (the Clifden nonpareil). 4. The Caterpillar. 



" Fig. 5. Catocala Nupta (the red underwing). 



" Fig. G. Catocala Elocata. 



PtJNT. — Fig. 7. AInus glulinosa (the common alder). 



C. Frixini is from the beautiful specimen, recently captured by Mr. S. Stevens ; the others are from the cabinet of Mr. Bcnilcy, with the- 

 exception of Elocata, from a foreign specimen in the British Museum, there being no wcU-aulhcnticated British specimen. The Caterpillar of 

 Maura is from Hiibner, that of Fraxini from the beautiful figure of Sepp. 11. N. II. 



MORMO, Ociisemieimer. MANIA, p. Tkeitsciike. 

 I have already alluded to the relation which exists between Noctua maura L., the type of the present group, 

 and N. typica ; and, now that figures of the larvc-c of both species are before the student, it will bo at once 

 perceived that the distinction between the former and the Catoc.ate is mucii greater than that between the two 

 first-mentioned insects. M. maura differs also entirely in its habits from the Catocate, entering houses, .and 

 flying by night, whilst the CatocaliB are day-fliers. Mormo has the palpi clcv.atcd, with the terminal joint 

 distinct and" ovate conic. The thorax and abdomen crested, the extremity of the latter not conical ; the wings 

 deflexed when at rest, forming a triangle, with the margins crcnatcd ; the fore wings short, broad, .md stigm.v 

 tiferous ; whilst the larva is naked and cylindrical, and marked with dark oblique stripes, and with sixteen fc.t. 



