Zoological Illustrations/VolII-Pl77



Gauze-wing.


 * Antennæ setaceæ. Alæ trigonæ, insecto sedente, cum corpore triangulum subhorizontale efficientes, superiores margine externo recto. Palpi quatuor exserti. Lingua conspicua. Latreille, Gen. Ins. 4. p. 229.

Typus Genericus Ph. Urticata Lin. &c.


 * Antennæ setaceous. Wings trigonal, forming a nearly horizontal angle with the body when the insect is at rest. The outer margin of the anterior wings straight. Palpi four, exserted. Tongue conspicuous.

Generic Type Ph. Urticata Lin. &c.


 * Botys. Latreille.

marginata,

Pink-margined Gauze-wing.


 * B. alis hyalinis, stramineis, apicibus margineque flexuoso rubro-purpureis.


 * Wings hyaline; pale fulvous; the margins and tips with a waved reddish purple border.


 * P. Marginata. Cramer, pl. 400. I.—P. Simiata. Fab. Ent. Sys. 3. 208.

There appears no end to the immense number of species referrible to this genus, which will perhaps be found the most extensive tropical group of all the Linnæan Phalænidæ. Of these, near eighty species I found in Brazil; Dr. Horsfield has brought a great many from Java; near fifty are found in North America, and I have little doubt that the whole number existing in the cabinets which I have inspected may amount to about three hundred and fifty. The thorough investigation of these is a work of no ordinary labour; and, until this is done, it appears most advisable to let the generic distinction remain, as given by Latreille, though there can be no doubt that among them distinct groups will be detected.

Cramer's figure will not indicate even the genus, and Fabricius describes the body as white; the tip ferruginous; in this it is yellow, tipped with red.

Mr. Haworth obliged me with this insect, which Fabricius notes as African.

bicolor,

Black and White Gauze-wing.


 * B. alis anticis fuscis, punctis duabus angulatis transversis albis; posticis ad basin albis.


 * Anterior wings, brown, with two transverse angulated white spots; posterior white at the base.

From the same collection as the preceding; the margin of the thorax and body are white. I apprehend it is an American species, which is distinct from any figured by Cramer, the principal author on the Exotic Lepidoptera.