THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH INSECTS; EXPLAINING THEM IN THEIR SEVERAL STATES, WITH THE PERIODS OF THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS, THEIR FOOD, OECONOMY, &c.
TOGETHER WITH THE HISTORY OF SUCH MINUTE INSECTS AS REQUIRE INVESTIGATION BY THE MICROSCOPE.
THE WHOLE ILLUSTRATED BY COLOURED FIGURES, DESIGNED AND EXECUTED FROM LIVING SPECIMENS.
BY E. DONOVAN.
VOL. X.
LONDON: PRINTED BY EYE AND LAW, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE, CLERKENWILL, FOR THE AUTHOR, And for F. and C. RIVINGTON, No 62, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD. MDCCCI.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae thickeſt in the middle. Wings deflexed when at reſt. Fly ſlow morning and evening.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Wings angulated, greeniſh clouded with brown, two triangular dive ſpots diſpoſed as a bar acroſs the anterior wing, tips white. Poſterior wings yellow brown with a tranſverſe dark bar.
The larva of this elegant Inſect feeds on the Lime tree. In September it changes to the pupa, and the Sphinx is produced in May.—It is very common in moſt parts of the country.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae filiform, the laſt articulation longeſt. Thorax roundiſh, with a margin into which the head is drawn back.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Brown. Antennae yellowiſh and pectinated.
This ſpecies differs very much from the other Inſects of the Ptinus genus in having feathered antennae. Geoffroy, who deſcribed it before Linnaeus, called it Ptilinus. Linnaeus placed it in his Syſtem in the Ptinus genus, and to diſtinguiſh it named it ſpecifically pectinicornis. The two ſexes of this Inſect may be diſtinguiſhed by the form of the antennae; thoſe of the female are but ſlightly pectinated, that which we have figured is the male having large feathered antennae.
This creature lives in decayed wood.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Wings deflexed, white, ſprinkled with forked black ſpots: no ſpots on the abdomen.
We cannot account for the very abſurd name Engliſh Aurelians have given to this Inſect. It probably originated in ſome trivial event, which has been long ſince forgotten, but as the Inſect will be [8] better known by that name than any other we could adopt, it is thought moſt adviſable to retain it.
This Moth is uncommonly ſcarce in Great Britain. The larva is of a pale or greeniſh white colour with three longitudinal ſtripes of brown and a few black bars acroſs. It feeds on the Willow and Alder. Four of thoſe larvae were taken in the wood of Darent, 1793; and one of them was reared to the winged ſtate.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Thorax creſted. Anterior wings brown with two broad ſpaces of grey, divided by a tranſverſe dark bar, and a kidney-ſhaped ſpot in the middle. Poſterior wings whitiſh with a marginal row of brown ſpots, pale brown at the apex.
One of the rare Engliſh ſpecies of Phalaenae known amongſt col⯑lectors by the general name of Portland Moths, having been firſt diſcovered and introduced to notice as natives of this country by the late Dutcheſs Dowager of Portland.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Thorax ſmooth. Anterior wings pale clay colour, with a broad brown ramoſe bar acroſs. Poſterior pair black, with an irregular pale oblique bar, and double ſpot of the ſame near the poſterior margin.
Hitherto conſidered as a ſcarce or at leaſt very local ſpecies. Dr. Latham found it in great abundance in a clover field near Dart⯑ford, Kent. The larva is deſcribed; it is red with broken or inter⯑rupted white lines and a cinereous head. It feeds on the Centaurea, Plantain and Tragopogon.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Wings reverſed, reddiſh aſh colour, with two incurvated yellowiſh lines acroſs the firſt pair.
The trivial name of Lobſter Moth, which this ſpecies has acquired from the ſingular form of its larva, cannot be unfamiliar to the Engliſh Aurelian, though the Moth itſelf is in the poſſeſſion of few. The larva [12] was figured and deſcribed by Albin, and collectors about the middle of the laſt century occaſionally met with it in the woods near Lon⯑don, which have been ſince deſtroyed. At that time it was however ſcarce, and being difficult to rear, the Moth has always been deemed one of the moſt valuable Britiſh ſpecies of the Lepidoptera tribe.
An old collector at Hoxton once informed us, that the larva of this Inſect was called the BREECHES Caterpillar about fifty years ago; that it was in great requeſt by moſt collectors of his time, and that he deemed himſelf fortunate in finding two ſpecimens of it in the courſe of his life, though he had not reared either. Thoſe were taken on ſome Cheſtnut trees which grew at that time in St. George's fields. The late Mr. Bentley found it once on the Beech, and Mr. Francillon has a ſpecimen of it in his cabinet, which he met with himſelf. Our figures are copied from Mr. Francillon's ſpecimen, and the drawings Roeſel has given of it in his Hiſtory of the Inſects of Germany.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Mouth armed with jaws, no tongue. Antennae conſiſt of ten articulations. Wings extended, without folds, and laid horizontally upon the back. Sting ſharp and pointed, and concealed within the abdomen.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Black. Abdomen ſmall, joined to the thorax by a footſtalk. Poſterior legs very long.
[14]The novelty of this creature will be immediately obvious to thoſe in the ſlighteſt degree acquainted with the hymenopterous tribes of Inſects. At firſt ſight it has the exact appearance of an Inſect de⯑prived of the body, for the abdomen is extremely ſmall in propor⯑tion to the other parts, and ſo much recurved or bent under the poſterior part of the thorax as to be ſcarcely viſible.
It is not more remarkable for its ſingularity than rarity, for we have ventured to introduce it as an Engliſh Inſect on one authority only.—A ſpecimen of it was lately taken by the Rev. James Coyte of Ipſwich, in Suffolk. We have it from the South of Europe.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Thorax creſted. Wings deflexed, grey, undulated with black, and a black dagger-like mark at the baſe of the anterior pair.
The larva of this ſpecies feeds on the Sycamore, it becomes a pupa late in Auguſt, and appears in the winged ſtate in June.
[16]Another Moth very analogous to this ſpecies is known amongſt Engliſh collectors by the name of Sycamore likeneſs; it is exceed⯑ingly ſimilar in its colour and marks, but is deſtitute of the ſmall dagger-form black ſpot which is ſituated near the baſe of the anterior wings in Phalaena Aceris.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Thorax creſted. Wings deflexed, firſt pair purple with two broad tranſverſe whitiſh bars, ſecond pair pale brown.
The Phalaena Delphinii is extremely rare. A traditionary opi⯑nion ſeemed to prevail amongſt the old collectors of Engliſh Inſects, [18] that it had been taken in this country, but the fact was not clearly aſcertained till within the laſt two years.
The late Ducheſs of Portland, it is reported, once found a muti⯑lated wing of ſome Phalaena hanging in a cobweb, which it was conjectured had belonged to this ſpecies; but on ſuch ſlender au⯑thority few were diſpoſed to conſider it as a Britiſh Inſect: and thence it remained a ſubject of diſpute till the ſummer of 1799, when our worthy friend W. Jones, Eſq. met with a charming ſpecimen of it alive in his own garden at Chelſea; and thereby removed every doubt reſpecting it, as a Britiſh Species.
The larva feeds on the Larkſpur, and is figured by Roeſel toge⯑ther with the eggs and pupa; thoſe figures we have copied in the annexed plate, as they render the hiſtory of this intereſting. Inſect more complete than our limited information would otherwiſe permit. —The larva ſeems to bear ſome reſemblance to thoſe of Phalaena Verbaſci, or Water Betony Moth; the colours are nearly the ſame, but the black ſpots in the former are more numerous.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Head inflected. Antennae ſetaceous. Elytra ſemicoriaceous. Thorax flat, orbicular and margined. Feet formed for running.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Yellowiſh. A few black ſpots on the longitudinal ridge of the wing caſes.
We believe this is a ſcarce Species in Great Britain. The late Mr. Bentley has taken it about Epping.—It is very common in Lap⯑land.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Antennae pectinated. Wings grey, undulated, clouded with brown, and ſurrounded with a black waved marginal line.
The two Moths figured I. I. in the annexed plate are ſuppoſed to be the male and female of the ſame ſpecies. Taken in June, about Willows.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Antennae feathered. Wings pale greyiſh, waved with brown. An eye-ſhaped ſpot, whith an oblong white pupil in the middle of the poſterior wings.
Found on the Oak in June.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Thorax creſted. Wings deflexed: margins dentated. Firſt pair greyiſh brown, obſcurely clouded and variegated with ſmall orange-yellow ſpots.
The larva is ſuppoſed to feed on the black Cherry and Sloe; on the latter of which we once found it. Its Engliſh name implies that it feeds alſo on ſome plant of the Ranunculus genus. In the winged ſtate it is ſometimes met with in gardens.
Another Inſect analagous to this ſpecies has been named the ſmall Ranunculus Moth.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae compoſed of globular articulations, increaſing in bulk towards the ends. Thorax and elytra without margins.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Black. Head, thorax, feet, and exterior border of the wing-caſes yellowiſh.
A new ſpecies, taken in Coombe Wood in the month of July, by Alex. M'Leay, Eſq. and the Rev. Mr. Kirby.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Antennae feathered. Upper ſide brown, with broad yellowiſh ſpots in the diſk. Under ſide mottled, and clouded with two dark bars acroſs the poſterior pair.
This rare and curious ſpecies of Phalaena has been for ſome years admitted to the cabinets of Engliſh Natural Hiſtory, but on the moſt dubious authority. That it is an inhabitant of Great Britain, is [28] however now aſcertained, for in the ſummer of the preſent year: about the laſt week in June, it was obſerved in great plenty in a fir wood at Crathis, on the north bank of the river Dee, in Mearn⯑ſhire, Scotland, by George Milne, Eſq. of Surrey Place, Walworth. They ſeldom fly low, and are conſequently taken with ſome difficulty.
The larva is green, ſtreaked with white and yellow, and feeds on the Pine. Linnaeus and Fabricius add the Lime and Alder alſo.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Mouth armed with more than two jaws. Antennae ſhorter than the thorax. Wings expanded without folds. Tail of the male furniſhed with forceps.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Wings tranſparent. Abdomen cylindrical and reddiſh.
This is the moſt abundant ſpecies of the Libellula tribe; fre⯑quenting ditches and other watery places during ſummer. The colours in different ſpecimens vary exceedingly.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Wings yellowiſh. Abdomen cylindrical, variegated, four yellow lines on the thorax.
When the fine ſpecies of Libellula grandis was figured in plate 166 of this work, we were not in poſſeſſion of the variety with yellow wings which Linnaeus deſcribes. It has ſince been diſcovered in the neighbourhood of Batterſea, and we deem it too intereſting to be omitted.
The yellow colour of the wings can by no means induce us to think it a diſtinct ſpecies from the variety with wings perfectly tranſparent, eſpecially as the ſame variation is obſerved in moſt other ſpecies of the ſame tribe, and particularly amongſt the Engliſh ſpecies in flaveola virgo and puella. The marks and colours of the abdomen and thorax are ſtill more liable to variation, and can ſcarcely furniſh any preciſe character for a ſpecific difference.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by Night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Tongue ſpiral. Thorax creſted. Wings deflexed, margin denti⯑culated, yellow brown clouded with ferruginous and marked ob⯑liquely with ſeveral interrupted parallel and interwoven waved ſtreaks. A broad white band next the exterior margin.
This ſpecies is uncommonly rare, and has, we believe, not been figured by any author, unleſs fig. 1. tab. 71. of Eſper is intended for the ſame inſect.—It feeds on the maple.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Anterior wings yellow: baſe, coſtal ſpot, and oblique broad bar near the apex reddiſh, ſprinkled with points of a darker colour.
A new and undeſcribed Britiſh ſpecies. Once found in the wood at Hornſey.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Anterior wings greyiſh white, with a broad clouded bar acroſs the middle. Poſterior wings darkeſt near the exterior margin.
Sometimes found ſticking againſt walls and trunks of trees, and is certainly an hitherto undeſcribed ſpecies.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Firſt wings yellow, with irregular connected ſtreaks of black ſpots, and detached marks of the ſame colour on the anterior margin. Second pair brown.
A ſcarce inſect in this country. It is ſaid to have been firſt diſ⯑covered at Margate, and from that circumſtance was afterwards known amongſt Engliſh collectors by the name of Margate beauty.— Another inſect, by no means ſimilar, has however received the ſame name, having been met with at Margate likewiſe.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Purple, with two irregular yellow bands continued acroſs both the upper and under wings.
Found on nettles in May.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Firſt wings ferrugineous; a broad yellow clouded bar with three yellow eye-ſhaped ſpots acroſs the middle. A yellow ſpot at the baſe, and another at the apex. Second wings pale, with an obſcure tranſverſe ſtreak.
It feeds on the Burdock.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Thorax creſted. Firſt wings yellowiſh, with two tranſverſe bands of brown; the interior one interrupted and encloſed between two irregular whitiſh ſtreaks.
Ernſt, in the Papillons de l'Europe, fig. 378. gives the figure of a Phalaena not very diſſimilar to our ſpecies, and probably a mere variety of it. Under this idea we have named it Citrina, from the French name La Citrinne, adopted by Ernſt, for it does not appear to have been either figured or deſcribed by any other author.
This choice and beautiful Inſect is one of thoſe diſcovered by the late Ducheſs of Portland, and is in the Cabinet of Mr. Francillon.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. First wings reddiſh, with a paler daſh along the middle, ending near a kindney eye-ſhaped mark and a contiguous white ſpot. An interrupted dark mark at the baſe.
Several varieties of this Inſect appear to have been figured in the work of Ernſt already quoted, but none of them agree ſo preciſely with our ſpecimen as to permit us to refer to his plates.—We be⯑lieve it is not deſcribed by Fabricius or any other ſyſtematic author.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae ſetaceous. Head inflected. Thorax flat, orbicular, and margined. Abdomen terminated in two appendices. Feet made for running.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Livid brown, with two black parallel lines on the thorax.
Abundant in Germany, but very rare in this country.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Antennae feathered, wings variegated with green and grey, and marked acroſs with two black lines, the interior one recurved, and the exterior waved and bent in the oppoſite direction.
The two ſexes of this Inſect is figured in the annexed plate, fig. 1. 1.—The pectinated antennae denote the male.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Antennae ſetaceous. Firſt wings deep grey with large oblong brown ſpots, encircled with white. Second wings aſh-coloured.
Feeds on the broom, and is found in the winged ſtate in June and July.—It is ſcarce, or at leaſt very local.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Antennae ſetaceous. Wings pale, and uniformly ſtreaked tranſ⯑verſely with numerous ſcalloped lines of brown.
Sometimes taken in Kent, particularly in Darent Wood, Dartford. It feeds on the Willow and Oak, and appears in the winged ſtate in June.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by Night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Thorax creſted. Firſt wings incumbent, grey, variegated with brown, and marks of white. Second pair black with a large orange ſpot in the middle, and an exterior border of the ſame colour.
Found in Darent Wood in the month of July. The larva is ſaid to be white, with undulated brown ſtreaks, and ſpotted next the poſte⯑rior part with black.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Thorax creſted. Firſt wings incumbent, liver-colour, with obſcure ſpots. Second wings yellow, with a brown lunar mark in the mid⯑dle, and a band of the ſame colour near the poſterior margin.
This ſpecies is far leſs frequent than the Phalaena Pronuba, to which, at firſt glance, it bears ſome reſemblance. Fabricius de⯑ſcribes it as a native of Germany, and it does not occur in the Works of any Author as a Britiſh Inſect.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Thorax creſted. Wings deflexed, brown; poſterior pair black, with a yellow band acroſs the middle.
Deſcribed by Fabricius in his laſt Work as an Engliſh Inſect, from which we may infer, that it is not common in other parts of Europe.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Feet numerous. Twice as many on each ſide as the ſegments of the body. Antennae moniliform. Palpi two, articulated, body ſemicylindrical.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Antennae clavated. Body flat. Tail acute.
Fabricius as well as Linnaeus conſiders the number of feet as an eſſential part of the ſpecific character throughout this genus. Both are certainly miſtaken in aſſigning thirty feet to each ſide of this creature. Degeer mentions thirty-one; and in an unmutilated ſpecimen we have, two legs may be perceived at every joint except thoſe neareſt the head. The body is flat, the ſhields ſlightly ſcabrous, and the antennae clavated, the laſt we deem more characteriſtic than the number of the feet.
This very curious creature is local, being rare in moſt places.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Wings whitiſh, variegated with black, and waved or arched tranſverſe ſtreaks. A large eye-ſhaped ſpot in the middle, and a black character in the poſterior angle.
An Inſect well known amongſt Engliſh collectors by the name of Grey Arches Moth, from the characteriſtic arched double lines acroſs the ſuperior wings. It is altogether unnoticed by Linnaeus a Fabricius, though figured by Sepp. vol. ii. tab. 27. It is eſteemed a ſcarce ſpecies in this country.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Wings variegated brown and grey, with obſcure tranſverſe bars. Three diſtinct black pointed characters near the apex.
The ſpecimens, fig. 2 and 3. appear at the firſt view two very diſtinct Inſects; yet on the moſt attentive compariſon of the cha⯑racteriſtic marks, we are inclined to conſider them as the two ſexes of the ſame ſpecies, notwithſtanding the diſſimilarity of their co⯑lours in general. The kind repreſented at fig. 2, and which from its ſetaceous antennae is evidently the female, has been placed in Engliſh cabinets as a ſpecies ſomewhat analogous to the Phalaena Exoleta, or Sword-blade Moth, under the trivial appellation of the ſcarce Sword-blade Moth. The other, which from the pectinated ſtructure of its antennae, is obviouſly the male, is equally uncommon.
We have obſerved ſeveral figures of this ſpecies different only in colour in the works of Ernſt, and one in particular nearly corre⯑ſponding with that repreſented in the annexed plate at fig. 2, which he calls ſpinula; a name we have ventured to adopt, as the Inſect is neither deſcribed by Linnaeus nor Fabricius.
GENERIC CHARACTER. A ſoft flexible trunk, with lateral lips at the end. No palpi.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Body hairy, black. Wings ferruginous at the baſe.
The largeſt of the Muſca genus found in this country. Breeds in dung.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Black. Sides of the thorax and two belts acroſs the abdomen yellow.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Wings tranſparent, black at the tip. Head red.
Remarkable for the continual vibratory motion of its wings.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Somewhat hairy, black; two pellucid ſpots on the firſt ſegment of the abdomen.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Reddiſh brown, an obſcure dot in the Wings.
Found on Dung.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by Night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Thorax creſted. Wings deflexed, green: a black mark and tranſverſe band; and a ſingle row of black triangular dots near the apex.
Linnaeus has made ſome confuſion between the two ſpecies of Phalaena Aprilina and runica in ſeveral of his works. In the laſt edition by Gmelin, our Inſect ſtands as the P. runica; and in the Entomologia Syſtematica of Fabricius, which we have in this in⯑ſtance preferred, it is the Phalaena Aprilina.
[58]The Engliſh Entomologiſt is indebted to the aſſiduity of the late Ducheſs of Portland for the diſcovery of this extremely rare ſpecies in England. It feeds on the Oak.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Thorax creſted. Wings deflexed, blackiſh: oblique broad ſpace along the exterior margin grey.
Not ſo rare as the preceding but ſtill much eſteemed by the Engliſh Entomologiſt.—Feeds on the Pine.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Firſt wings greyiſh brown, with two tranſverſe broad bands and two connected white ſpots, and a minute dot in the middle.
The larva is of a pale yellow with a red head. It feeds on the Poplar, and about the beginning of October encloſes itſelf between two leaves, which it unites at the edges by means of many ſtrong threads, and becomes a pupa. The Moth burſts forth about the end of May or beginning of June.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae ſubclavated and ſeated in a roſtrum or proboſcis, which is of a horny ſubſtance and prominent.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Snout ſhort, broad, and flattiſh. Wing-caſes brown, with two black ſpots: apex white.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Cylindrical, yellowiſh brown. Wing-caſes terminated in an acute point.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Black, front of the head and tip of the wing-caſes white. Tho⯑rax tuberculated.
This, as well as the two preceding ſpecies is very rare.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Wings yellow, with numerous ferruginous tranſverſe ſtreaks. Anal angle violet.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Antennae like a briſtle. Wings white, with bands of brown ſpots. Thorax and tail yellow.
The larva conceals itſelf in a kind of cylinder, which it forms by rolling up the edges of the nettle leaves on which it feeds. It is whitiſh, with a dark dorſal line, head black, and two ſpots of the ſame colour on the ſegment next the head.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Wings white, with two brown tranſverſe bands, and a brown ſpot near the apex.
This Inſect, though very common in our woods, was unknown to Fabricius before his viſit to Great Britain; he firſt deſcribed it in the ſpecies Inſectorum, under the ſpecific name of Lynceata, as an Engliſh Inſect: it has ſince appeared in his other publications, and has been inſerted by Gmelin in the laſt Edition of the Syſtema Naturae.
The Linnean deſcription of P. ocellata coincides ſo nearly with this Inſect, that we may doubt the propriety of ſeparating them: they are probably varieties only of the ſame Species.
It is very common in June.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Wings deflexed, clouded, a large tufted dentation at the poſterior margin: baſe yellowiſh.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Thorax creſted. Firſt wings ſomewhat falcated or hooked, greyiſh, with three ſtreaks, and two kidney-ſhaped ſpots in the middle.
One of the rare ſpecies of Phalaenae, deſcribed by the late Mr. Beckwith in the Linnaean tranſactions. The larva is remarkably ſlender, and of a green colour; it was found upon the ſallow near Brent-Wood on the 18th of June, went into the earth about a week after, and the Moth was produced on the 24th of July.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Blackiſh, collar crimſon: end of the abdomen yellow.
This ſingular creature was found in Coombe Wood in the month of June. The larva is hairy, dark, ſtriped with black, and has a white triangular mark on the head. It feeds on the pine, beech, &c.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae ſetaceous. Maxillae or jaws advanced conſiderably be⯑fore the head. Eyes prominent. Thorax roundiſh and margined.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Black, a white waved band, and two dots of the ſame colour on the Wing-caſes.
A very ſcarce Engliſh Inſect.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Shining, bronzed, head ſtriated.
Extremely common in ſome moiſt ſituations.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by Night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. AND SYNONYMS. Wings brown: baſe, central ſpots and broad tranſverſe bar near the exterior end grey; a black line at the baſe, a bidentated dark line along the apex, and a black mark near the poſterior margin.
An undeſcribed ſpecies, known by the Engliſh name of Brocade Moth.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Wings cinereous clouded with brown; baſe, apex and a broad tranſverſe bar acroſs the middle white.
This ſeems to be no other than the Bombyx trimacula of the Vienna catalogue, Wien. Verz. 59. No. 4. and the B. trifaſcia of Eſper, p. 242. t. 46. fig. 1—2; a ſpecies unnoticed in the Ento⯑mologia Syſtematica of Fabricius.
This is one of the rare Inſects diſcovered by the late Ducheſs of Portland.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Firſt wings greyiſh tinged with yellow, and marked tranſverſely with three black ſtreaks. Antennae yellow.
A ſcarce Moth, ſaid to feed on fruit-trees.—Cabinet of A. M'Leay, Eſq.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae gradually tapering towards the end. Elytra narrower towards the extremity. Thorax round and ſlender.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Black, with a metallic tinge. Wing-caſes yellow, with three interrupted longitudinal lines of black.
A very rare and curious ſpecies.—In the collection of Mr. Fran⯑cillon.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Black. Wing-caſes yellowiſh, with three black ſpots connected with the outer margin on each.
Uncommon in Great Britain. In our ſpecimen, the anterior black mark on the wing-caſes is interrupted, and appears like two diſtinct ſpots.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by Night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Thorax creſted. Firſt wings greeniſh with black marks; and a row of triangular ſpots behind.
The two black ſemicircles on the thorax and double row of trian⯑gular ſpots at the ends of the poſterior wings, are mentioned as pecu⯑liar characters of this ſpecies; the latter is, however, liable to con⯑ſiderable variations, the ſpots being in general, crowded in a con⯑fuſed ſeries, and forming an irregularly interrupted line. It may be eaſily diſtinguiſhed from the Phalaena Aprilina by its ſuperior ſize, the colours are leſs vivid, and it is deſtitute of the broad tranſverſe bar, which is conſpicuous on the upper wings of Phalaena Aprilina.
The larva is ſmooth, of an aſh colour with ſquare browniſh ſpots. It feeds on the Oak.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Thorax creſted. Wings incumbent, greyiſh; a black lunar mark, with a ſmall approximate point in the middle of the firſt pair, and a triangular ſpot of the ſame colour on the anterior part of the thorax.
From the collection of Mr. Francillon.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Pale yellow, with two oblique brown ſtreaks acroſs each of the ſuperior wings.
Fabricius, when in England, named this elegant little nondeſcript Francillana, in compliment to Mr. Francillon, whoſe exquiſite col⯑lection of Inſects afforded him ſuch ample aſſiſtance in completing his ſpecies Inſectorum and Entomologia Syſtematica, and we are happy [78] in the opportunity to perpetuate the name, as a ſmall acknowledg⯑ment for the confidential freedom with which its worthy poſſeſſor has at all times permitted us to deſcribe and copy whatever our own Ca⯑binet was deficient in.—The ſpecimen is in the collection of Mr. Francillon.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Wings rhombic: firſt pair green, with little elevated tufts and black characters.
Not unlike Phalaena Squamana, figured in a former part of this Work, except in the black characteriſtic marks on the ſuperior wings.—This is a very rare and beautiful little creature.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Anterior wings dark brown, white at the tips.
Linnaeus, and after him Fabricius, refers to the works of De Geer and Merian for figures of this Inſect, neither of which are in our opinion ſufficient authorities; that of De Geer is in particular miſerable, and ſo far from leading to aſcertain the ſpecies, may miſlead us as to the identity of its genera. Some years ſince, this Inſect was deemed a nondeſcript by Engliſh collectors, and named in compliment to a much reſpected Aurelian Beckwithiana; but agreeing in every reſpect with the Linnaean Cynoſbana, we muſt una⯑voidably reject that name, though generally adopted.
It is very common, and according to Linnaeus breeds in the buds of roſes.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Wings white, with about fifty black points.
Linnaeus conſidered the two ſpecies of Ermine Moths, Padella and Evonymella, ſufficiently characteriſed by the number of black ſpots on the ſuperior wings. To the firſt he aſſigns twenty, and to the latter fifty on each wing.
Thoſe who have attended particularly to thoſe ſpecies are aware, that the number of ſpots are by no means conſtant, and may have frequently obſerved even more ſpots on one wing than the other in the ſame individual, as occurs in the ſpecimen we have figured. This has occaſioned ſome confuſion between the two ſpecies, and we ex⯑preſſed ſome doubts reſpecting them in the deſcription of one of the [81] earlieſt plates in this work. Since that time we have had more op⯑portunities of aſcertaining the two kinds, and have no heſitation in admitting them as two ſpecies. Not that the variation in the number of ſpots will allow us to admit the definition of Linnaeus uncondi⯑tionally. It may be ſaid that thoſe on the P. Padella are about twenty, and thoſe on the P. Evonymella ſometimes amount to fifty or more, and the colour of the ſuperior wings is lighter in the latter than the former.
In admitting this, the name Evonymella adopted in the ninth plate, muſt be changed to Padella; and the Inſect before us be conſidered as the true Evonymella.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Wings hooked at the apex, whitiſh, decuſſated with obſcure bars, and a large triangular brown ſpot on the poſterior margin.
Very ſcarce and undeſcribed.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae filiform. Palpi four. An elaſtic ſpine at the extremity of the thorax on the under ſide, by means of which it ſprings up when placed on the back.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Thorax and wing-caſes ferruginous. Body and poſterior margin of the thorax black.
Scarce. From the collection of Mr. Francillon.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Above greeniſh with a dull metallic gloſs. Antennae of the male large and pectinated.
The elegant antennae of this Inſect is very characteriſtic. It is not an uncommon ſpecies.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by Night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Reddiſh brown, with numerous ſtreaks of a ſilvery yellow.
As no Inſect has yet appeared to record the memory of that inde⯑fatigable collector of Engliſh Inſects, Mr. Bentley, we are induced to aſſign his name to this beautiful and hitherto nameleſs Species— It is extremely ſcarce.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER Anterior wings greyiſh brown, with brown ſpots, a ſolitary black ſpot in the middle.
Fabricius deſcribes this as an Engliſh Inſect. It is rare, and not hitherto figured.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Anterior wings teſtaceous, with two whitiſh bands, and four diſtinct undulated ſtreaks and ſpots of black.
A very uncommon Inſect, and not noticed by any author.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Wings pale, yellowiſh, with a brown ſpot in the middle.
Taken in June and July. Not uncommon.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae ſetaceous or filiform. Wing-caſes leſs than the wings, and either narrower or ſhorter than the abdomen. Tail ſimple.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Wing-caſes narrow, and tapering to a point, black, yellow at the baſe.
A ſcarce ſpecies, deſcribed by Fabricius and Gmelin as a native of this country.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER AND SYNONYMS. Wings teſtaceous. Legs ſimple.
Supppoſed by Gmelin to be a variety of Necydalis podagrariae.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by Night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Wings deflexed, a prominent tuft or tooth on the poſterior mar⯑gin, brown, clouded; in the middle, a white ring, encloſing a ferru⯑ginous lunar mark.
The larva of this fine Inſect is green, with a brown head, obtuſe tail, and three elevations or gibboſities on the back. It feeds on the Populo tremulo, from whence we have deduced its Engliſh name of Aſpen Prominent Moth.
Phalaena tritophus is extremely ſcarce in this country.
GENERIC CHARACTER. Antennae taper from the baſe. Wings in general deflexed when at reſt. Fly by night.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Anterior Wings brown, with two undulated ſtreaks, and ſpots of white. Poſterior wings pale.
A non-deſcript ſpecies of the noctua family, and very rare. Found on heaths.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Anterior wings ferruginous grey, with undulated ſtreaks. A ſmall oblique line in the middle, and a row of brown points along the ex⯑terior margin.
More frequent than the preceding ſpecies, and ſeems to be figured in the works of Ernſt and Eſper, but certainly not deſcribed by any ſyſtematic author.
The colour varies in different ſpecimens from ferruginous to greyiſh or livid colour.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. Wings brown, with large irregular waved marks of a livid colour, and four diſtinct white triangular ſpots near the apex.
A Moth of the Hepialus, a new genus in the Fabrician Syſtem, including only ten ſpecies, neither of which agrees with our Inſect, and we apprehend it is not deſcribed by any other Author.
In the Linnaean Syſtem, this can only be regarded as a family of the Phalaena tribe. The Engliſh collectors have denominated this family Swifts, as noticed already in the deſcriptions of Humuli and Hecta, (plate 274. fig. 1, 2, 3.)—The preſent Inſect may be con⯑ſidered as one of the rareſt Engliſh undeſcribed ſpecies, and the many windings of the numerous marks on the anterior wings, immedi⯑ately ſuggeſt the appropriate ſpecific name of Mappa.
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