27S SPECIES GENERAL DES LEPIDOPTERES. 



HETEROCERA.— Division VI. 



Noctoelites. (Noctuce, Linn.) 



GENERAL CHARACTERS. 



Larva elongated-cylindrical, with six scaly legs, the two anals constant; 

 ventrals varying from four to eight, never inclosed in sheaths, or contained 

 between the two membranes of leaves; living solitarily, at least in adult age, 

 on leaves, in pith, or roots. Chrysalis unarmed, smooth, never attached 

 or suspended. Abdominal rings free; form conical, terminating in a hook 

 or spine. Contained in exterior cocoons, or in cavities formed in the 

 earth. 



Imago with antennae long or middle-sized, growing less from base to 

 apex; filiform, ciliated, or pubescent; more or less pointed or rounded, 

 never terminating in a hook. Those of the $ nearly always simple; 

 labial palpi only visible, well-developed, passing more or less beyond the 

 head, the last joint distinct, nearly always less covered with hairs or 

 scales, and always slighter, than the preceding joint. Two stomates con- 

 stant; the spiral tongue more or less long or strong, but never completely 

 absent. 



Body generally robust; more squammose or velvety than woolly; often 

 crested. Abdomen never furnished with down susceptible of detaching 

 itself after the laying of eggs in the females. Legs of a variable length, 

 but generally long, above all, the last or hind pair, which are always 

 longer than the preceding. Anterior legs shorter, and furnished with a 

 distinct epiphysis; the middle legs furnished with one pair, and the poste- 

 rior with two pairs of spurs well developed. 



Wings large, never raised in repose, or rolled round the body; well 

 furnished with scales; the superior wings nearly always marked with three 

 lines and two distinctive annular spots or stigmata. 



Inferior wings more or less folded; generally covered by the superior. 

 Nervulation. Superior wings. Sub-costal nerve constantly furnishes three 

 nervules and three costal branches an areola, (wanting only in one family 

 and one genus,) well closed, always unique, placed above the cell, of which 

 it is entirely independent. The median nervure quadrifid, the sub-median 

 simple; never an intermediate. Inferior wings. The sub-costal nervure 

 always elbowed with the costal, (except in one family,) only admitting between 

 the two three nervules; the median trifid or quadrifid, according to cir- 

 cumstances; no pre-costal or intermedian. 



The Noctuelites above characterized may be placed indifferently either 

 after the Bombyces or the Geometrcs. They are connected with the first 

 by the Noduo- Bombyces, and the Bombycoides, and with the last by the 

 Anthopkilides, the Erastrides } and the Bhalenoides. If the last arrange- 



