{ 27}_Under Side._ Palpi distinct, and like bristles at their extremities. Breast, legs, and wings light brown. A row of cream spots, angularly shaped, are placed along the wings; the outward part being furnished with about twenty-eight small cream spots irregularly placed. Margins of the posterior wings dentated, of the anterior entire.
According to Mr. Smeathman this species is easily disturbed during the day. It flies exceedingly rapid, and has a method of striking a leaf or bough at two or three feet distance from the place where it really settles. Whether this be done to break the violence of its motion, and enable it to settle without injury to its body; or for the purpose of deceiving its pursuers, is not easily ascertained; it has, however, the latter, and probably both effects; most of the locusts do this, for they certainly strike some branch with a good deal of violence just before they alight, the motion of which deceives the eyes and baffles the pursuer.
ORDER: Lepidoptera. SECTION: Nocturna. FAMILY: Geometridæ, _Steph._
GEOMETRA ARGENTATA. Alis pallidè griseis, anticis fasciis duabus, posticis unicâ flavis, utrinque argenteo-marginatis his ocello marginali obscuro. (Expans. Alar. 1 unc. 9 lin.)
SYN. Phalæna (Geometra) Argentata, _Drury, App. vol._ 2.
_Upper Side._ Antennæ filiform. Body grey. Wings pale yellowish grey. A narrow yellow bar rises near the middle of the anterior wings, which, crossing them and the posterior, ends a little below the body on the abdominal edges; another small bar crosses the anterior wings near the shoulders, both of them being verged with silver. A small dark spot, surrounded with silver, is also placed close to the external edges of the posterior wings; and above it is a yellowish patch reaching to the upper corners.
_Under Side._ Wings pale light-coloured, almost white, immaculate. Margins of the wings entire.
ORDER: Lepidoptera. SECTION: Nocturna. FAMILY: Notodontidæ, _Steph._
GENUS. PETASIA? _Stephens._ Phalæna (Noctua), _Drury_.
PETASIA? MINISTRA. Alis anticis rufescenti-fulvis, strigis quinque transversis, posticis pallidioribus [female]. (Expans. Alar. 2 unc.)
SYN. Phalæna Noctua Ministra, _Drury, App. vol._ 2.
Phalæna Ministra, _Abbot & Smith Ins. Georg. t._ 81. _Oliv. Enc. Méth._ 5. 69. 155.