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PLATE LXI.

PHALÆNA STRAMINEA.

Lepidoptera.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

Antennae taper from the base. Wings, in general, contractedwhen at rest. Fly by night.

N o c t u A.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Antennae and tongue deep yellow. Head and thorax covered withlong hairs; which, with the superior wings, are pale yellow, or brightclay colour; in the middle of the superior wing is a kidney-lhaped {potof dull grey, enclosed by a dark reddish brown line, which is unitedto the anterior margin by another spot of the same colour. Near t eexterior margin is a broad obsolete band of pale brown, but whereit touches the anterior margin it is darker; within this band are nineWhite spots, or points, and between the band and exterior margin ofthe wing, on the lower edge, is a bright black point; there are severalother reddish brown points scattered upon the upper wing, near thebase. The inferior wings are of a yellowish-white, with a shade ofpurple, a dark spot on the middle, and a pale black, broad border,'vith a white fringe.

to

This elegant species of the NoSfua division of Moths , appearsbe not only a nondescript, but altogether unknown before; even tothe best practical entymologists: That an insect of such magnitudeshould have been unnoticed by Linnæus , or Fabricius, is not verysingular, as several nondescripts of a similar, and many of an inferior,Vox. II, K size