Page:Jardine Naturalist's Library Exotic Moths.djvu/152

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128
BOMBYCIDÆ.

usual accuracy and elegance by Mr. Westwood, in the Linnean Transactions.[1] The individual figured is a female; we have seen another specimen of the same sex belonging to Mr. James Wilson, lately received from Serampore; and taking into account the prevailing character of the sexual differences in this group, it appears to us that there can be little doubt that this is the female of Phal. Attacus, Lucina of Drury, vol. iii. pl. 34, fig. 1.[2] Drury's insect is a male; all the specimens in this country of Bombyx spectabilis (as far as we know) are females; the size corresponds; and the general character of the colour and markings is similar. The fore wings of Lucina are strongly falcate, those of Spectabilis rounded laterally; and although this peculiarity is in no other instance that we are acquainted with so strongly marked, the considerations formerly adduced are sufficient to show that it is not incompatible with the view now taken of the supposed relationship of the two insects in question. The difference of the ascertained localities does not militate against this view; nearly all the Saturniæ have a wide geographical distribution; and it is judiciously observed by Mr. Hope, that the entomology of Africa (whence Drury obtained his S. lucina) seems to combine the character and possess some of

  1. Vol. xviii. Part Third, pl. 31. fig. 3.
  2. Since the above remarks were written, we have learned that the B. spectabilis of Hope has been previously figured by Gray in the Zoological Miscellany, under the name of B. Wallichii.