



g MOTHS 
248 BRITISH MO 
SPECIES 1—MORMO MAURA, Putare LV., Fig. 1, 2. 
Synonymes. — Phalena Noctua maura, Linneus; Hiibner; | fig. a, b; Stephens; Wood, Ind. Ent. pl. 17, fig. 438. 
Haworth; Donovan, 7, pl. 30, f. 1; Harris, Exposition, pl. 1, Noctua Lemur, Hufnagle. 
This conspicuous insect measures from 22 to 3 inches in the expansion of the fore wings, which are of a dark- 
brown or gray-brown colour, and very shining; the costa with seven small black conical patches, followed 
towards the tip by three white specks; the base of the wing is varied by shining black patches, followed by a 
very broad black bar, occupying the middle of the wing, and extending nearly to the costa, in which are placed 
the two ordinary stigmata, which are distinct, with pale edges ; the apical portion of the wing is paler, having a 
broad, dark, irregularly-dentate striga, running nearly parallel with the apical margin, and shaded off inwardly 
into the ground-colour of the wings; the hind wings are dark brown, with a slender pale fascia running 
obliquely across them, and extending nearly to the anal angle. On the under side they recall to mind the under 
side of the Camberwell Beauty butterfly, in the pale margin of all the wings. The caterpillar is dark brown on 
the back, with a slender pale line, the sides prettily marbled with dark and light markings ; the spiracles orange. 
It feeds on lettuce and other low-growing plants, but occasionally is found on trees; it forms a cocoon of silk 
and leaves, or moss, and the chrysalis is powdered with a purplish bloom, as in the Catocale. The perfect 
insect is common and very widely distributed, appearing about the end of July, and entering houses at night, 
attracted by the lights. 

CATOCALA, Scurank. 
The splendid species of which this genus is composed are very numerous, inhabiting the moderate northern 
climes both of the old and new world, and distinguished by the beautiful contrast of the colours of their wings ; 
the hind ones being either blue, orange, or bright red, with black bars, and the upper ones mottled gray or brown, 
with dentated markings and clouds ; the palpi are elevated, with the terminal joint oval and small; the antenne= 
setaceous, and alike in both sexes; the abdomen attenuated at the tip, and tufted on the back. The caterpillars 
half-loopers, very flat on the under side, with the sides fringed with fine hairs, and sixteen-footed ; they feed upon 
the leaves of trees, on the twigs of which they lie close when at rest, their colours so closely resembling those of 
the bark as to render them scarcely perceptible; the chrysalis is powdered with a purple bloom, and is inclosed 
in a cocoon formed of leaves. 
SPECIES 1—CATOCALA FRAXINI. Puare LV., Fie. 3, 4. 
Synonymes.—Phalena Noctua Fravini, Linneus ; Hiibner; Haworth ; Donovan, o, pl. 171 and 172 
; Wilkes, pl. 90; Harris, Aurelian, 
pl. 31, fig. a—e,; Stephens; Wood, Ind. Ent. pl. 17, fig. 439. 
Thi - od, wi itish s ioe : i 4 : 
which are ashy-coloured, with whitish and brown clouds, and flexuous strige ; the hind wings black, with a bar 
of pale blue beyond the middle. The caterpillar is ashy, irrorated with black ; it feeds on poplar, ash, elm, and 
It is a rare, although very widely-dispersed, species, 
fine specimen was taken at the beginning of September last, by 8S. Stevens 
other trees, and the moth appears in the autumn. 
A very 
, Esq., in his garden at Hammersmith, 
by means of a lantern. Other specimens 
have also occurred near London; likewise near Birch Wood, at Shalford, near Guildford 
attracted by the sugar daubed upon fruit-trees, and captured at night 
» hear Beverley, 
Scarborough, and Holderness, in Yorkshire ; near Lowestoft, in Suffolk, by G. R. Wate 
rhouse, Esq. ; also in 
Essex, and at Chichester, attracted by a bottle of sweets, placed to destroy 
wasps, near wall-fruit trees, as I am 
informed by Mr. 8. Stevens. The first specimen recorded as captured in this country, was taken at Clifden in 
