PLUTELLA. 67 
ish-fuscous, with paler cilia, In some specimens the fascia of the an- 
terior wings is abbreviated, hardly reaching beyond the fold, appearing 
as a spot on the inner margin. 
Not common; the perfect insect appears in June. 
Genus I]. PLUTELLA. 
PLurpiwa, Schr. F. B. ii. 169 (1802) ; Zett. Cerostoma, Curt. ; Step. 
Alucita p,, Vab.; Lat.; Dup. Anadetia p., Wiib. Ypsolophus p., 
Haw. Plutella p., Treit.; Zell. 
Caput hirsutum, Antenne simplices, articulis valde distinctis. Haus- 
tellum mediocre, nudum, Palpi maxillares filiformes, breves, Palpi 
labiales articulo secundo infra in fasciculum subattenuatum producto, 
tertio erecto, aculeiformi. Ale elongate, ciliis longiusculis infra 
alarum apicem non impressis, posteriores lanceolate. Ale anteriores: 
vena apicalis simplex ante apicem excurrit, infra eam rami sex, quo- 
rum infimus a penultimo longe distat ; penultimus et antepenultimus 
ew codem puncto prodeunt; cellula secundaria indicata; vena sub- 
dorsalis longe furcata; alee posteriores: cellula costalis subito at- 
tenuata; vena apicalis simplex ; yena subapicalis furcata, Folliculus 
larvee reticuliformis. 
Tlead rough. Antenne not thickened with scales, with the joints 
very distinct. Tongue of moderate length, naked. Maxillary palpi 
short, filiform. Labial palpi with the second joint prolonged beneath 
in a rather slender tuft; the third joint erect, acuminate. Wings edon- 
gate, with rather long cilia not indented below the apex; the posterior 
wings lanceolate. In the anterior wings the simple apical vein runs 
into the costa before the apex; below it are six veins from the discoidal 
cell, of which the lowermost is remote from the penultimate, and the pe- 
nultimate and antepenultimate proceed from the same point ; the second- 
ary cell is faintly indicated; the subdorsal vein is fureate for a consi- 
derable distance. In the posterior wings the costal cell is suddenly 
attenuated, the apical vein is simple, and the subapical vein fureate, 
The larva constructs an open network cocoon. (P. Dalella shows se- 
veral discrepancies from the generic characters above given: the maxil- 
lary palpi are rather long; the second joint of the labial palpi is scarcely 
produced to a tuft; and in the posterior wings the costal cell is more 
gradually attenuated, and the subapical yein is simple.) 
The insects of this genus make but short, rather straight flights, 
speedily settling again on the low herbage. P. porrected/a appears 
solely attached to the Hesperis matronalis, but P. Cruciferarum 
eats with avidity most of the Cruciferous plants. In the year 
1851 this insect was excessively abundant throughout the country, 
and from Southend in Dssex, to Belfast, the same enormous 
multiplication of the species was observed; the turnip-growers 
