100 BRITISH MOTHS 



MARGARITIA, Stephens; Scopula, Curtis. 

 The species of this numerous genus have the antennae, limbs, and abdomen long and slender ; the wings also 

 generally elongate-triangular, forming, when at rest, a deflexed triangle ; they are generally of a pale or straw 

 colour, traversed by faint transverse strig®, and are generally distinguished by their pearly appearance, whence 

 the name of the genus ; the palpi porrected, and rather short, very squamous and pointed at the tip ; the 

 maxillary palpi distinct and elevated, with the tip squamose. The caterpillars are slender, 16-footed, and 

 undergo their transformations in a cocoon, generally formed of dried leaves or moss, fastened together with 

 threads. The species have been formed by Hiibner into various minor divisions, from the forms and colours of 

 the wings. 



Species 1. — Maegaritia diveesalisI — (Plate LXXVII., Fig. 5) — Measures about 1^ inch in expanse ; 



fore wings reddish-brown, with two spots on the disc, towards the costa, followed by a slender curved dusky 



striga ; the apical portion of the wing also darker ; hind wings orange, with a slender dusky border. Hitherto 



only one indigenous specimen has been recorded, which is in the British Museum collection, taken near Bristol, 



in June ; but our friend, W. F. Evans, Esq., also took a specimen in June, 1842, either at Darenth "Wood or 



in Yorkshire. 



1 Synokybie. — Pyralis diversalis, Hiibner ; Stephens ; 'Wood, fig. 807. 



Species 2. — Margaritia asinalis"' — (Plate LXXVII., Fig. 6) — Measures TA inch in expanse ; fore wings 



ashy-brown, with a rather broad, slightly dusky bar towards the base of the wings, bearing two dots in front ; 



l^*^^-^' the middle of the wing more dusky, with a paler round patch towards the costa, and a flexuous striga towards 



the extremity of the wing ; hind wings rather paler, with an indistinct striga beyond the middle. Taken by 



Captain Blomer, near Teignmouth, Devon ; and others near Barnstaple, by W. Raddon, Esq. 



' Synonyme. — Pj/j-o/is asina/is, Hiibner ; Curtis; Steplicns ; Wood, fig. 808. 







Species 3. — Margaeitia lancealis' — (Plate LXXVII., Fig. 7) — Measures about 1-j- inch in expanse ; 



3'^-J the fore wings are narrow and long, of an ashy yellowish-brown colour, with an indistinct striga towards the 



base ; a pale patch in the middle of the wing, towards the costa, followed by a denticulated dusky striga 



running across all the wings ; hind wings similarly coloured. Taken in various parts of Kent, Devon, and 



Norfolk, in June, but rare. 



' Synonymes. — Pyralis lancealis, Wien. Verz. ; Stephens ; Wood, [ Pyralis glabralis, Hiibner ; Fabricius. 

 fig. 809. 1 Pyralis longalis, Haworth. 



Species 4. — Margaritia verticalis' — (Plate LXXVII., Fig. 8) — Measures about 1^ inch iu expanse; 



JicriZj wings very pale silvery or pearly-bufF; all with a dusky striga towards the base ; the fore ones with two dots 



f^ "■ ' towards the costa, followed by a very indistinct dusky undulated striga, dilated towards the costa into a darker 



patch, and followed by a more distinct waved and much bent striga ; the apical margin dusky, and the extreme 



edge pale ; fringe dusky. The caterpillar is green. It feeds spun up within the leaves of the nettle, and 



changes to a chrysalis at the end of June ; and the moth appears in July, and is extremely abundant. 



Synonyme. — Phaltsna Pyralis verticalis, Linnseus ; Albin, pi. 73, fig. a — d ; Wilkes, pi. 51 ; Harris; Aurelian, pi. 33, fig. h — 1 ; 

 Hiibner; Donovan, 16, pi. 556; Haworth; Stephens; Wood, fig. 810. 



Species 5. — Margaritia centro-steigalis " — (Plate LXXVII., Fig. 9) — Measures 1^ inch in expanse ; 

 4vR«.^"^«^ wings ochraceous yellow, fore ones with a faint incurved striga towards the base ; a lunate spot in the middle 

 t \, gi^'i-''- towards the costa, and a very flexuous striga between it and the extremity of the wings. Hind wings with a 



