Farm. Herminidce.
Herminia, Latr.
*H. rectalis, Walk.—I obtained but two specimens of tbis
beautiful, soft, ligbt-brown Motb, whicb were lying concealed, alongside
of stones of tbe same colour, in tbe garden at Tbe Hermitage.
The following is the description which Mr. Walker gives of i t :—
Femóle pale, cinereous fawn-colour, pale cinereous beneath; palpi
smooth, slender, compressed, curved, reflexed over the head; third
joint lanceolate, shorter than the second; fore wings, with two
indistinct undulating slightly darker lines, one antemedial, the
other postmedial; a more exterior straight white, slightly oblique
line, which appears faintly on the pale cinereous hindwings;
length of the body six lines; expansion of the forewings fifteen
lines.”
Fam. Tyralidai.
Pyralis, Linn.
P. farinalis, Linn.—A very pretty Moth, in colour light-brown,
in length about three-quarters of an inch, with geometrical markings
on the wings. I t is somewhat rare, and on the high land occasionally
flies into lighted rooms at night. I t inhabits also Europe,
North America, Madeira, South Africa, and Australia.
Fam. Asopidee.
Hymenia, Hiibn.
H. recurvalis, Eabr.—-A small dark-brown Motb, with white
bands across the wings. The most abundant species of all. I have
seen these moths literally swarm into lighted rooms at night, and
extinguish the flame of a candle by choking the wick with their
bodies. They are found at Ascension Island, and also inhabit
the West Indies, South America, West Africa, Turkey, Hindostán,
China, Australia, and New Zealand.
Fam. Margarodidce.
Phakellura, L. Guild.
P. indica, Saund.—A small Moth, having white wings with
deep brown borders; occasionally seen hovering around lighted
candles in houses at night, both in Jamestown and on the high
land. I t inhabits also Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Fam. Botydee.
Botys, Latr.
B . a b s t r u s a l i s , Walk.—A dark-brown, medium-sized Moth;
inhabits also Ceylon and China.
B . c r e o n a l i s , Walk.—A small whitish Moth, with waved
brown markings on the wings. Not very abundant, but sometimes
seen in lighted rooms at night on the high land. I t inhabits
St. Domingo.
B . c e d ip o d a l is , Guén.—A very beautiful, large, pure white
Moth, very rare, but occasionally seen during tbe daytime, or early
evening, in the neighbourhood of Southens. Inhabits also the West
Indies and South America.
Scopula, Schr.
S. f e r r u g a l i s , Hiibn.—A small-sized, dark-brown Moth, the
larva of which is a small transparent pale-green caterpillar, about
three-quarters of an inch in length, the head slightly marked with
brown, and having sixteen legs—viz., eight in the middle, six near
the head, and two behind. I t is uncommon, and the specimens T
obtained were taken from a common yellow marigold bush growing
at an altitude of 1800 feet above the sea. When about to undergo
change, the caterpillar assumes a primrose tint, envelopes itself in
leaves bound together by web, and turns into a small mahogany-
coloured chrysalis, about one-third of an inch in length. I t
inhabits also Europe and Madeira.
* S . d e l i n e a t a l i s , Walk.—A small brownish Moth; a native,
of which Mr. Walker gives the following description:—“ ! ^ ^
pale cinereous; forewings, with two broad irregular brown bands,
- one antemedial, the other postmedial, and forked in front, each
intersected by a zigzag white line, the second of these forked in
front; a brown line along the exterior margin, bordered on the
outer side by a white line, which is accompanied by black points;
orbicular and reniform marks, blackish. Length of the body
three and a half lines; expansion of the forewings nine lines.”