466 
[Assemble 
the ground beneath and around the bushes with boards, or pave it 
with bricks, should these be at hand, allowing this covering to re¬ 
main three or four weeks The winged moths on coming from 
their pupa shells, would probably then be unable to make their way 
into the air, and would perish in their confinement. The efficacy of 
this measure woulJ be indicated, on removing the boards, by the 
numbers of dead moths on the surface of the ground beneath them. 
On first examining the larvse of this insect, I felt confident that 
they would produce moths cogeneric with the European Gooseberry- 
moth. But when, a few days after, perfect insects were obtained, 
an inspection of them rendered it apparent that they could not be 
included in the genus Abraxas, as defined by its founder Dr. Leach, 
and by other English entomologists; nor was I able to assign them 
a satisfactory place in any of the genera of those authors which I 
had at hand to consult. On transmitting specimens to Dr. Harris, 
whose investigations of our nocturnal Lepidoptera so well qualify 
him for deciding every doubtful point of this nature, he favored me 
with the opinion, accompanied with a full statement of the grounds 
on which it is based, that although this species presents more points 
of affinity with Abraxas than with any other genus at present estab¬ 
lished, yet it cannot be included in that genus without a modifica¬ 
tion of its characters; which modification must be made, or a new 
genus must be constructed to receive our insect. Though fully con¬ 
curring in this opinion, inasmuch as it is not the unaided result of 
my own examinations, I decline availing myself of it, and have 
therefore here placed the insect doubtingly in the genus Abraxas, 
bestowing upon it a specific name, which perhaps the general reader 
should be informed, indicates to the entomologist not merely the 
genus of shrubs on which the larva feeds, but also that the insect is 
a Geometrician-moth with feather-like antennae 
Subjoining is a description of the moth, in its perfect and pre¬ 
vious states, which, with the accompanying figures, cannot fail of 
rendering it well known and readily recognized by every careful 
observer. 
Abraxas? Ribf.aria.— Nankin-yellow; body immaculate; wings with two brown 
bands, the outer composed of sub-conlluent spots, whereof three in the middle of 
tlie anterior pair are more conspicuous and permanent. Wings expand slightly 
over one and a fourth inches. 
The ground color of all parts of this moth is a light buff or nan¬ 
kin-yellow, which in old specimens fades to yellowish-white. The 
posterior wings are a shade lighter than the anterior, whilst the head 
and neck are commonly of a deeper tint, bordering on orange-yellow. 
The body is immaculate, but the wings are more or less variegated 
with spots or bands of a dull leaden-brown color. In the most per- 
