8392 



Insects. 



fulva. Thorax plumbeus. Abdomen semi-griseum semi-luteum. 

 Pedes lutei. $ major, alis paulo latioribus. 



This is the most generally distributed of the genus Lithosia, and 

 the most common in our country. It flies abundantly, in July, 

 around the flowers of the clematis. 



The larva is very common, in early spring, among dry leaves, under 

 which it secretes itself during the day. It is of a brownish earthy 

 colour, with the dorsal and subdorsal lines black, and having two 

 dorsal series of ferruginous oval spots ; these are distinct anteriorly, 

 and separated from each other by a small dot of grayish white. The 

 lateral region is paler, varied with black lines, in the place of spiracles, 

 each accompanied by a very delicate distinct yellow dot. The head 

 is black. It lives on the lichens of trees, and especially those of oaks. 



A character that surely ought to be noticed in this species, but 

 which nobody has yet spoken of, is a band of large scales situated 

 below the middle of the costa of the fore wings, which forms a kind 

 of fold. This character only exists in the male, and occurs only in 

 this and the following species. 



The synonymy presents several difficulties. The short description 

 given by Reaumur applies but indifferently, although, according to 

 him, the head and thorax are of the yellow of a dead leaf : Geoffroy, 

 who refers to Reaumur, says it is grayish white above and below : 

 Linneus cites Clerck's figure, which certainly represents Abrostola 

 triplasia : lastly, Hiibner, who has well represented the caterpillar, 

 gives, under the same name, a figure which evidently represents the 

 imago of L. plumbeola, and does not figure the present species at all, 

 — an omission very remarkable in a species so common. These 

 errors must be attributed, as regards the older authors, to the want of 

 precision which prevailed in the descriptions of their time, and, as 

 regards the last-mentioned instance, to authors having confounded 

 two nearly-allied species. 



Sp. 13. Lithosia molybdeola. 

 Aloe anticoe angusta?, fere aequilatse, costa vix convexa, plumbeo- 

 sericese, vitta costali angustiori, vivide fulva, ad apicem decres- 

 cente ; subtus nigriores, fascicula costali squamoso, plicato 

 dimidioque costae fulvis. Alse posticse pallide plumbeae, mar- 

 gine (plus minusve lato) ochracea. Caput et collare vivide fulva. 

 Thorax abdomenque plumbeo, ano ochraceo. Fcemina vix mi- 

 nor, obscurior, ano vix ochraceo. 



