PSEUDOPHIA TIRHACA (Cram); wrongly called TYRRHÆA.
Plate IV.—Fig. 3.
This is not an English species, but is met with in Europe and North Africa. It is not very commonly found in Teneriffe. The fore-wings are green, with a central reddish-brown spot, the outer margin having an indented band of the same colour. The body and hind-wings, richly feathered, are a beautiful straw yellow, the latter having a dark brown graduated band near the lower margin. It expands about two inches and a half. The larva is grey, with a pale grey stripe on the sides, and black spots on the lower surface between the pro-legs.
CALOCAMPA EXOLETA.
(Sword-Grass Moth.)
This moth is an English species. It measures in expanse between two and three inches, and is of a soft violet grey tinge, the fore-wings having a variety of brown markings. The caterpillar feeds on the Euphorbia, and has been found gregariously with the Tithymali on that plant. It is met with, however, on peas and potatoes, and can be reared on the leaves of any of these plants. The larva is bright green, with two lines of black and white spots down each side of the back. These are bordered by a yellow stripe (sometimes, however, absent), and it has a broken red line on each side. The caterpillar attains a length of about three inches. Some were kept in the same breeding cage with the Tithymali, but their habits were entirely different. When the Exoleta caterpillar ceased to feed, it did not immediately attain the pupa state, but was restless and lively, remaining as a caterpillar from six to eight weeks, gradually shrinking and losing its colour, until it turned to the pupa. It made a fragile shell of fine earth, oval in form, and buried itself a short distance under the surface. Full-sized caterpillars, taken on the 20th of March, ceased feeding and turned to the pupa state from the 1st to the 20th of May, emerging to the moth on the 15th of June. In some specimens the process of turning to the pupa took place on the journey to England in a box, the caterpillars being covered lightly with cotton-wool.
TRIPHÆNA PRONUBA.
(Common Yellow Underwing.)
This is a common moth in England and Europe, but is rather a scarce species in Teneriffe. It expands a little more than two inches. The fore-wings are dark brown, having a few irregular markings of a lighter shade. The hind-wings are bright yellow, with a dark brown marginal band on the lower edge. The body is a somewhat lighter brown, and the antennæ are long and fine. The caterpillar is brown, and it feeds on a variety of low-growing plants in the barrancos, and may also be found on the potato. It commences to appear in the early spring.