vel 
THE CLIFDEN NONPAREIL MOTH. 
Phalena Fravini. 
PLATE XXIV. 
Phalena fraxini, Linn. Syst. Nat. ii. p. 843, No. 125.— 
Wilks Pap. No. 45, tab, i. a 2.—Merian’s Insects of 
Europe, pl. 4,—Roes. iv. pl. 28, fig. 1.—Donovan’s 
Brit. Ins. vol.v. p. 89, pl. 171.— Catocala Fraxini, 
Curtis. 
Tux Wings-are from three inches and five-sixths 
to four inches in extent } they. are scalloped. Supe- 
rior ones ashen gray, covered with numerous zigzag 
markings of a darker colour; under wings blue, 
with transverse bands of black. The wings are 
deflexed when at rest; the antenne taper from 
the base ; the thorax is crested. 
The under side is of a dull cream yellow, with 
many black cloud-like bands crossing the wings. 
The male is easily distinguished from the female 
by its smaller size. This moth is subject to con- 
siderable variety, both in the markings and arrange- 
ment of the spots, as well as in the degree of in- 
tensity in the colours of both upper and lower 
wings. We have examined some specimens from 
the north of Europe, which were comparatively 
null in their colours to those of Britain. 
