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SF ——— 


150 BRITISH MOTHS 
MECOPTERA, Gutyéz. SCOPELOSOMA, Curtis. CERASTIS, s. Borspuvat. 
Like the typical Glew, the type of this genus has the body depressed, but the fore wings are longer and more 
oblique at the tips and are likewise dentated. The palpi are very short, with the terminal joint concealed beneath 
the scales. The antenne are setaceous, each joint producing spreading hairs beneath in the males. The curious 
character, observed by Mr. Curtis, of two tufts of long hairs at the base of the abdomen beneath, is not, as he 
supposes, peculiar to the type of this genus; it is figured from another species in Kirby and Spence, vol. iv. 
pl. 29, fig. 21; and other instances are mentioned in my Modern Class. of Ins. vol. ii. p. 395. It is, I believe, 
peculiar to the males. Hence, as well as from the hybrid nature of Mr. Curtis's generic name, I have rejected it 
in favour of M. Guénée’s name, Mecoptera, proposed about the same time. The caterpillar when young resides 
on the elm and other trees, but when older it descends the tree and feeds upon low plants adjacent ; it will 
also devour other caterpillars when placed together in a box. 
SPECIES 1—MECOPTERA SATELLITIA. Prats XXX., Fie. 9. 
Synonymes.—Phal. Noct. Satellitia, Linn. ; Fab. ; Hiibner; Haworth ; Donovan, vol. 5, pl. 168; Stephens; Curtis, Brit. Ent. pl. 635 ; 
Wood, Ind. Ent. pl. 1], fig. 208. Noctua transversa, Hufnagle. 
This species measures about 1+ inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a reddish chestnut colour, 
with cloudings of a richer colour; a slender angulated dark striga is near the base of the wings, followed by a 
nearly straight one; beyond this is a dusky wave, on the outside of which is placed a small, somewhat triangular 
white dot, accompanied by a speck of the same colour at each of its outer angles ; these vary in colour from white 
to yellow, and even brown, and are succeeded by a waved striga, between which and the apex of the wings are 
several alternate paler and darker arched undulations. The hind wings are brown, with pale cilia. The moth 
appears in the autumn, from September to November, and the caterpillars are nearly black, with several paler 
longitudinal streaks, and the belly brownish buff, the first segment striated with pale colour. (It is represented 
crawling from beneath a leaf at the foot of our 30th plate.) They vary, however, to green or yellowish orange, 
with a pale dot and a white lateral line above the feet. It is not a very common species, but occurs in various 
parts of the south of England. 

AMPHIPYRA, Ocusenuermer. PHILOPYRA, a. Guinée. 
This and several allied genera form a very distinct group amongst the Noctuide, characterised by their recurved 
palpi, corresponding with the extended genus Amphipyra, of Ochsenheimer, a name which Mr. Stephens has 
restricted to the Noctua pyramidea, of Linneus, which was, however, placed by Ochsenheimer amongst his less 
typical species, his type being N. Tragopoginis ; hence has arisen some confusion in the works of Stephens, 
Boisduval, and Guénée. N. pyramidea is characterised by having the palpi recurved upwards as high as the 
top of the eyes, with the terminal joint long and acute; the antenne slender, and but slightly ciliated ; the 
abdomen depressed, conical, and tufted; the fore wings dentate at the tip, with the disk varied in its markings, 
and the hind wings bright-coloured. The caterpillar feeds upon the leaves of forest trees, and is of handsome 
appearance as to its colours, with a conical protuberance near the extremity of the body. 

