
SH MOTHS 
904 BRITISH 
obtuse. The posterior ones short, as is also the body. The fore wings are ashy-coloured, with black strigz ; at 
the base of the wing is a duplicated black striga, occasionally obsolete, followed by a second, which is oblique 
and also geminated ; the anterior stigma is large and pale-coloured, with a pale dusky centre and margin; the 
outer one almost obsolete, followed by a duplicated striga angulated in the middle, whilst a fourth undulated 
simple striga extends from the apex to the anal angle of these wings. The hind wings ashy-brown, with a central 
fascia, and the margin dusky ; the antenne bright clay-colour, and the thorax very hairy. There is considerable 
difference in the distinctness of the strigze in different specimens. The caterpillar is greenish-yellow and speckled, 
with a red-brown head and with a pale lateral and dorsal line ; it feeds on the birch, poplar, and oak, rolling up 
the leaves. The moth appears in March and the beginning of April, and is found on the trunks of those trees ; 
it is a rare species, but taken occasionally in the woods round London. 
SPECIES 7.—CERATOPACHA RIDENS. Puare XLIII., Fie. 9 (the middle right hand figure), anp Fre. 10. 
Synonymes.—WVoctua ridens, Fabricius ; Haworth; Duponchel ; Noctua erythrocephala, Esper. 
Stephens ; Wood, Ind. Ent. pl. 14, fig. 334. Noctua flavicornis, Wiener Verz. 
Noctua Xanthoceros, Hubner. Noctua Putris, Naturforscher ; Stuck 8, p. 108. 
Noctua chrysocera, Beckwith, Linn. Trans. 2, pl. 1, fig. 1—3. ; 
This species measures about 15 inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a sulphur colour with olive 
and brown markings; a large distinct spot of white at the base of the wing, which extends to a whitish undulating 
striga ; the stigmata are distinct, and followed by a second whitish undulating striga ; towards the apical margin 
the wing is marked with whitish lineole and black lunules ; the hind wings are whitish with a dark border. The 
markings vary very much ; fine specimens having the pale dentated undulating lines very distinct, but in others 
they are so blended with the darker shades as nearly to obliterate all the markings, when the moth appears of a 
dirty olive colour, with indistinct markings. The caterpillar is smooth and of a pale yellow green, with two rows 
of white specks on each side ; the head is red ; it feeds on the oak, enclosing itself between two or three leaves spun 
together, generaily keeping itself in a curved position when at rest; it is full-grown at the end of June, when it 
encloses itself in a weak cocoon, usually among the leaves, the moth appearing in April. It isa rare species, but 
was reared by Beckwith from caterpillars taken at Brentwood, Essex. Also found in the woods round London, 
and in the New Forest, &c. 
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XLIV. 
Insects.—Fig. 1, Plastenis subtusa (the olive moth). Fig. 4. The Caterpillar. 
cf Fig. 3. Plastenis retusa (the double kidney). Fig. 2. The Caterpillar. 
- Fig. 5. Cleoceris viminalis (the minor) shoulderknot. 
as Fig. 6, Clecceris Oo (the scallop-winged oak moth). Fig. 7. The Caterpillar. 
aa Fig. 8. Cosmia Pyralina (the lanar spotted pinion). Fig. 9. The Caterpillar. 
os Fig. 10. Cosmia diffinis (the white spotted pinion). Fig. 11. The Caterpillar. 
- Fig. 12. Cosmia affinis (the lesser spotted pinion ). 
‘s Fig. 13. Cosmia Trapezina (the dun bar). 
8 Fig. 14. Cosmia fulvago (the angle striped sallow). 
Figs. 1, 3, 5, 10, and 14 are from the cabinet of Mr. Marshall. Figs. 6, 12, and 13 are from specimens furnished me 
and fig. 8 is from the cabinet of Mr. Bentley. The caterpillar of Diffinis 
Hiibner. H. N. H. 
by Mr. H. Doubleday ; 
and Pyralinaare from the accurate work of Freyer ; the others are from 
PLASTENIS, Borspuvar; TETHEA, Srepuens, Guinée. 
As the generic names Tethea and Cymatophora are synonymous, I consider it incorrect to retain both for 
sections into which the old genus to which they were applied has been 
M. Boisduval’s name for this group, which is 
separated, and accordingly adopt 
characterised by the fore wings being slightly hooked at the tip. 

