62 



THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



[March 



442; Tutt, "Ent. Record," I., p. 92. Leucadactyla 2 , Haw. "Lep. 

 Brit."' p. 477. Lunadactyla, J, Haw. " Lep. Brit.," p. 477; Stphs. 

 "111.," IV., 375; Wood 1640. 



In the '-Entomologist's Record" &c., Vol. I., p. 92, with reference 

 to the synonymy of this species, I wrote: — Phcsodactyla^ H.h.=letica- 

 dactyla, Haw. $ , luncedactyla, Haw. ^ . Another sexually dimorphic 

 species~p h^odacty la -Sippea.rs, like tetradactyla , to have had the sexes 

 named as distinct species by Haworth. The female, from its pale 

 colour, being called leiicadactyla (the lemon plume) ; the male, from the 

 characteristic lunar mark on the anterior wings, being called 

 UmcBodactyla (the cresent plume). Both these names sink as synonyms 

 of Hiibner's phaodactyla, Hiibner figuring (14, 15) both sexes of this 

 species under the latter name. Wocke, in his " Catalog," gives 

 luncBdactyla, Haw., 477, as synonymous with phcBodactyla, but not 

 leucadactyla, the paler form." 



Imago — The male of this species has the wings of a dark cinnamon 

 browm, the colour of the female being much paler and more ochreous. 

 The anterior wings are divided into two lobes, with a pale lunar mark 

 extending from the costa to the inner mark just before the fissure, the 

 costa rather darker than the rest of the wing. The posterior wings 

 are divided into three plumules, of almost the same colour as the fore 

 wings but more shiny. The head, thorax, and abdomen the same 

 colour as the wrings, the abdominal segments being rather paler. The 

 fore wings of the female shorter proportionally than those of the 

 male. Stainton's diagnosis is: — "F.-w. io"'-ii"', ochreous-brown, 

 with a pale ochreous curved fascia just before the fissure" ('V Manual," 

 II., p. 442). I made the following description of Hiibner's figures: — 

 "Fig. 14, J. Anterior wings blunt at apex, reddish-grey in colour, 

 but redder on the margin ; an orange mark near the base on the 

 inner margin; an angulated transverse line at end of fissure; a very 

 faint line on upper lobe, near apex." "Fig. 15, $ , a little paler and 

 larger than the male, but markings the sanie" ("Sammlung europ. 

 Schmet." figs. 14-15'). The imago, larva, and pupa are figured i^the 

 former very unsatisfactorily) in the "Entom.," Vol. XVI., No. 239). 



Larva — This larva is excessively abundant on Ononis in the Dover 

 district in June, feeding on the leaves of that plant. It varies some- 

 what in colour, from pale whitish to bright green, very rarely wdth a 

 brown tinge. The tubercles are supplie^l with hairs. The larva is 

 described at length by Mr. South as: — "Length 7 lines; moderately 

 stout, tapering towards anal extremity. Head smaller than second 

 segment, whitish, tinged with green; crown, sides, and spot on each 

 cheek shining black; mandibles blackish-brown. Ground colour 

 green, segmental divisions paler, dorsal line bluish-green. Tubercles, 

 four dorsal rows (four on each segment) black, each with a moderately 



