20 BRITISH MOTHS 



Alcis murakia- — -(Curtis ; Stephens ; Wood, fig. 506) — is another probable variety, which has the fore 



wings of a more uniform, ashy-brown, or gray colour, with the strigae towards the base of the wings nearly 



obsolete, and those of the posterior margin darker coloured ; the hind wings also, with two strigas, more distinct 



towards the anal margin. 



The caterpillar is bufi", or ashy-gray, with darker shades and dusky dots down the back, and a pale line on 



each side : it feeds on birch and other forest trees ; and the moth appears in July, and is very common in woods. 



The supposed variety A. muraria, is found on walls in the North of England, and is rather smaller than the 



southern specimens. 



^ Synonvmes. — Phal. Geom. repandaia, Linnaeus ; Hiibner ; Donovan ; 10 pi. 333, fig. 1 ; Haworth ; Stephens ; Wood, fig. 504. 

 Geometra destrigaria, Haworth ; Wood, fig. 505 ; (variety.) 



Species 2. — Alois sericearia '. — (Plate LX., Fig. 21.) — This species measures nearly 2 inches in the expanse 

 ^i^^umc^ of the fore wings, which are silky brown, with " a space at the base very dark, a transverse spot near the middle, 

 2^,3 . black ; an indented transverse line beyond the spot, and an obscure, interrupted waved line near the posterior 



margin ; nervures black. Inferior wings fuscous at the base ; a transverse obscure spot towards the centre ; 

 beyond which is a waved transverse line, dark on the internal, light on the external edge ; limb speckled with 

 longish ochraceous spots." Curtis, loc. cit. Taken in the New Forest near Lyndhurst, in July, where it appears 

 to be attached to the oak. 



' Synonvme. — Alcis sericearia, Curtis; Brit. Ent., pi. 113 ; Stephens ; Wood, fig. 508. 



Species 3. — Alcis Roborarta''. — (Plate LX., Figs. 23, 24.) — This fine species varies from 2^ to 2-^ 

 inches in the expanse of the fore wings, which are pale, grayish-ash, varied with luteous, and pulverose, with 

 four very much interrupted, nearly equidistant, somewhat interrupted, brown strigse : the basal one much 

 incurved ; the two middle ones nearly united on the hind margin, forming a dark patch, and the fourth followed 

 by a pale waved line ; the hind wings, with three brown strigte ; the middle one much dentated and with a 

 central lunule ; along the apical margin of all the wings are some dark dots. Varieties occur with the strigae 

 nearly obsolete. The caterpillar is ashy-brown, with brown-arched lines and pale dots : it feeds on the oak and 

 beech, and the moth appears at the end of June, frequenting the woods in the south of England, but far from 

 common. 



■^ Synonymes. — Phaldina Roboraria, Fabricius ; HUbner ; Ha- 

 worth ; Donovan, 15, pi. 527; Stephens ; Wood, fig. 510. 

 Phalcena leucophearia, Villers. 



Geometra grandaria^ Haworth olim. 



Geometra piperitaria^ Haworth ; Stephens* Cat.; (variety). 



Species 4. — Alcis rhomboidaria '. — (Plate LX., Figs. 25, 26, and 27.) — This very common insect 

 measures about \f inch in expanse, the wings being of a shining mouse-gray not much irrorated, and with 

 four dentated strigas much interrupted, the second (carried across the hind wings) bearing a dark lunule ; the third 

 very close to the second at the hinder margin, and the fourth almost obsolete : beyond the middle of the hind 

 wings is a slender dentated striga, and another submarginal one darkest next the anal margin. The insect is 

 very variable, not only in the ground colour of the wings as represented in our two figures, but also in the 

 strength of the strigaj. 



Geometra consobrinaria, of Haworth (but not of Hiibner); Stephens; and AVood's fig. 512, may 

 possibly be another variety, from which it is described by the first-named author as scarcely difioring, except 

 in the gray wings with ferruginous atoms, and the pale subapical striga of all the wings obsolete. Alck 

 australaria, Curtis, has " a deep ochraceous tinge with powerful markings." 



