258 BRITISH MOTHS 



FAMILY ALUCITIDyE, Leach. PTEROPHORITES, Latreille. 

 With tbe exception of one species, ihe insects in this curious group have the wings singularly cleft into 

 narrow feathered rays ; the fore wings having two, three, four, or six ; and the hind ones three or six ; they are 

 carried horizontally, in repose ; the antennas are long and setaceous. The spiral tongue is long, but the maxil- 

 lary palpi are wanting, in which respect these insects approach the Yponomeutidae. The legs are long and 

 slender, the fore tibiaj with one, the intermediate with two apioal, and the posterior with two apical and two 

 subcentral spurs. The species are of small size. They vary in the time of their flight : the Pterophori being 

 crepuscular, flying over low plants, whilst Alucita frequents our gardens and enters our houses, sitting with its 

 beautiful wings expanded. The former insects have the habit of folding their wings, so as to appear to consist 

 of a single broad ray. The larvffi somewhat resemble those of the Arctiidfe, being sparingly clothed with rather 

 long hairs, and with 6 feet ; they are very inactive ; the pupee are variable, being either naked and enclosed in a 

 transparent silken cocoon, or elongate ovate, conical, hairy, and suspended perpendicularly by a thread, or affixed 

 by hooks at the posterior extremity of the body to a layer of silk on leaves. (See Reaumur, Mem. 1. 

 pi. 19, 20. De Geer, Mem. torn. ii. pi. 4, f. 1 — 11. Harris and L' Admiral.) 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE CXXIII. 



iNbECTS. — Fig. ]. Agdistes Bennetii (the plumeless plume). 



„ Fig. *2. Pterophorus Pentadactylus (the large white 



plume). 

 „ Fig. 3. Pterophorus Spilodactylus (the worm-wood plume). 

 „ Fig. 4. Pterophorus Galactodactylus (the spotted white 



plume). 

 „ Fig. 5. Pterophorus Bipunctidactylus (the grey-wood 

 I. plume). 



,„ Fig. 6. Pterophorus Fuscodactylus (the brown wood 



plume). 

 „ Fig. 7. Pterophorus Pterodactylus (the common plume). 



„ Fig. 8. the caterpillar. 



„ Fig. 9. the chrysalis, 



„ Fig. 10. Pterophorus Monodactylus (the hoary plume). 

 „ Fig, 11, Pterophorus Tephradactylus (the plain plume). 



iNSECTS.^Fig. 12. Pterophorus Tridactylus (the dotted-bordered 

 plume), 

 „ Fig. 13. Pterophorus Niveidactylus (the snowy-plume). 

 ,, Fig. 14. Pterophorus Tetradactylus (the white-shafted 



plume). 

 ,, Fig. 15. Pterophorus Carphodactylus (the citron plume), 

 ,, Fig. 16. Pterophorus Ochrodactylus (the ochreous plume). 

 ,, Fig. 17. Pterophorus Leucodactylus (the lemon plume). 

 ,, Fig, 18. Pterophorus Luni-dactylus (the crescent plume). 

 ,, Fig. 19. The caterpillar of Porrectaria Anatipenella, figured 

 in Plate 113, fig. 38. 

 Pljnt. — Fig. 20. Convolvulus Arvensis (common Bindweed). 



The insects in this plate are figured from specimens in the Cabinet 

 of Mr. Bentley, with the exception of 1, 3, 11, and 13, from Wood. 

 The caterpillars are from Hiibner. 



H. N. H. 



AGDISTES, HiBNER. ADACTYLUS, Curtis. 

 Tiie body and legs are very long and slender, with very short tibial spurs ; the wings are entire, and the 

 palpi are short and truncate. 



Species 1. — Agdistes Bennetii — (Curtis ; Brit. Ent., pi. 471 ; Wood, fig. 1625 ; and our Plate CXXIII., 

 Fig. 1) — Expands 1 inch ; fore wings reddish-ashy, with four small dark spots on each, placed longitudinally ; 

 abdomen of the female with 5 or 6 pairs of black dots dovm the back. Taken at the end of July, on th^; 

 Salterns, at ToUsbury, Essex. 



PTEROPHORUS, Geopfroy. ALUCITA, Haworth. 

 The body and legs are long and slender ; the tibia being furnished with long spurs ; the wings are deeply 

 cleft ; the anterior being composed of two, and the hind ones of three feathers ; and the palpi are slender. 



