16 



of these tribes, has been led to consider them as females ; and those with the dull 

 suffused purple wings as the males. In this respect therefore this butterfly offers a 

 remarkable exception to the rule, that male insects are much more brilliant in 

 their colours than the females. In the Magazine of Natural History, (No. 32), an 

 instance is given of this insect having gone underground to pass the pupa state. 



HYLOPHILA PRASINANA. THE GREEN SILVER LINES MOTH. 



Plate X. fig. i — m. 



Synonyms. 



Phalsena (Tortrix) Prasinana, Wien, Vers. Buhner. Linn. Syst. Nat. ii. 875. Albins 

 Ins. t. 31. Reaumur Mem. 1. t. 39- f. 13. 14. Wilkes Eng. Moths, Sfc. 1. 1. a. pi. 13. 



Pyralis Fagana, Fabricius, Stewart, Stephens (Cat. Chloephora f.) Haworth (Tortrix f.) 

 Donovan Brit. Ins. 8. pi. 280. (Phalsena f.) 



Hylopliila Fagana, Hubner. 



Halias Prasinana, Treitschke, Curtis. Stephens Illustr. (Hylopliila pr.) 



Pyralis Sylvana, Fabricius c?. 



Upper Side. The antennae are red, and like fine threads. The thorax is of a light green, 

 the abdomen nearly white. The superior wings are of a pea green, having three white lines, of 

 a pearly gloss, which cross the wings obliquely. The inferior wings are of a greenish white. 



The under side is also of a greenish white, the legs are red. The male is seen flying at (/), 

 and the female at (m). 



The caterpillar, seen at (i), feeds on the oak, and adheres very strongly to the leaves and 

 branches : when full fed it spins a strong case, in form not unlike the bottom of some boats ; 

 wherein it changes to a flesh-coloured chrysalis, shaded on the back with purple, The moth 

 appears the latter end of May. 



Expansion of the wings one inch and a quarter. 



TORTRIX VIRIDANA. THE PEA GREEN MOTH. 



Plate X. fig. 1—2. y—z. 



Synonyms. Phalaena (Tortrix) Viridana, Linn. Syst. Nat. ii. p. 875. Albirfs Ins. pi. 72. fig. e—h. 

 Donovan Brit. Ins. 4. pi. 144. 

 Tortrix Viridana, Stephens. 



Upper Side. The antennse are like fine threads : the thorax is green, as are the superior 

 wings. The inferior wings are of a dingy colour ; as is the abdomen. It is shewn at (1), in a 

 sitting position ; and at (2), as flying. 



The caterpillar is green, as at (?/), and feeds spun up in the leaves of oak ; wherein it changes 

 to the chrysalis about the beginning of June ; and the moth appears about the latter end of that 

 month. 



Expansion of the wings three-quarters of an inch. 



This little pretty insect is often extremely injurious in oak plantations, from the 

 almost complete defoliation of the trees effected by its innumerable hosts. Some of 

 the great oak woods in the neighbourhood of London are, in certain seasons, even 

 completely laid bare by this insect, and often on beating the branches of this tree, I 

 have dislodged complete swarms of the moth. Instances of its ravages are recorded 





