148 THE LEPIDOPTERA OF CEYLON. 



venation similar : liindwing also broader, exterior margin being very convex ; tborax 

 stouter, less produced in front ; palpi thicker, second joint more ovate ; legs stouter ; 

 antennge with more regularly graduated branches. 

 Tyjpe, M. Hyrtaca. 



METANASTSIA HYRTACA (Plate 141, Fig. 1, la, ^ g, li, larva). 



Phal. Bomhyx Hyrtaca, -Cramer, Pap. Exot. iii. ji. 97, pi. 249, fig. f (1782), ^ . 



Phal. Bomhyx lusca, Fabricius, Maut. Ins. ii. p. 112 (1787). 



Bombyx Buddha, Lefebvre, Zool. Journ. iii. p. 208-9 (1827), cj 5- 



Leheda Buddha, Moore, Catal. Lep. Mus. E. I. C. ii. p. 423, pi. 12a, fig. 2, 2a, 3 $ . 



Lebeda plagiata, Walker, Catal. Lep. Het. B. M. vi. p. 1464 (1855), S . 



Dark purplish-ferruginous. Male : forewing "with a transverse antemedial and 

 a postmedial slightly waved ferruginous-grey line, and two similar medial lines, the 

 outer one being convexly angular beyond the cell, between the two latter lines is a 

 dark purple-brown patch extending from the costa to lower median vein, this patch 

 being marked by a pure white lobate spot ; exterior border darker, crossed by a very 

 indistinct submarginal row of dark brown speckled spots. Female : forewing with 

 four similar transverse ferruginous-grey equidistant lines ; the basal area between the 

 medial lines, and the outer border darker coloured, the submarginal row of spots 

 more distinct and grey speckled. Front of thorax, head, palpi, and antennae greyish- 

 ferruginous. 



Expanse, ■? 1|-, ? 3 inches. 



Larva finely pilose, with sublateral projecting tufts ; colour purplish-grey, 

 minutely speckled with purple-brown ; two dark purple-brown dorsal lines, each 

 line being angled outward on each segment except the anterior and head, on both 

 which they are straight and contiguous ; a subdorsal slender straight line, and a 

 lateral row of slender oblique streaks, one on each segment ; between fourth and fifth 

 anterior segments is a transverse dorsal red streak. Cocoon oval, pale purplish- 

 ferruginous. Pupa purplish-brown ; thorax and segments slightly pilose. 



" Feeds on Spiridius." (Dr. Thwaites.) 



Genus ESTIGENA. 

 Megasoma (Group 4), Walker, Catal. Lep. Het. B. M. vi. p. 1452 (1855). 

 Estigena, Moore, Catal. Lep. Mus. E. L C. ii. p. 426 (1858-9). 



Male : forewing elongated, narrow ; costa almost straight, exterior margin very 

 oblique and slightly convex, posterior margin very short, concave at the base ; cell 

 long, extending nearly half the wing, narrow; subcostal six-branched, first emitted 

 at one-half and second at one-eighth before end of the cell, second bifid at two-thirds 

 from its base, fourth trifid, the fifth at one-sixth from base of the fourth, and sixth 

 (or radial) at one-fifth from base of fifth ; discocellular slightly concave ; four 



