Page:Jardine Naturalist's Library Exotic Moths.djvu/165

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HYALOPHORA PROMETHEA.
135

direction nearly parallel to their external edge; near the tip of each of the anterior wings there is a black spot surmounted by a blue crescent: hinder wings with a row of spots within the narrow black line skirting the outer border. The markings on the under side, in this sex, are similar to those just described; but the colour is paler, and the most considerable differences consist of a small transverse whitish spot in the centre of each wing, and in the grey waved line near the middle of the hinder wings being continued round, except on the abdominal edge.

The female presents important differences. The body is reddish-brown; on the upper side the half of the wings next the body is dark red, with a pretty large angular light-coloured spot towards the centre, and in the upper pair, a light-coloured bar runs out from the base, and after proceeding for some distance, bends towards the anterior border; a little beyond the middle, a light-coloured waved band runs across all the wings, bounded by dark chocolate on its inner edge; tips of the anterior wings with a black spot partly encircled with blue; the margin itself dark buff, with a narrow zigzag black line running through it; within this, on the under wings, is a row of irregular red spots. On the under side the body is streaked with white; the colours pale; the angular band wanting at the base of the anterior wings, and the light-coloured portions appearing as if sprinkled with fine grey powder.

The following is Mr. Peale's account of the habits