BRITISH AXD EUROPEAN- BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. 



171 



In place of the reniform stigma there is some- 

 times a small faint light-coloured spot. The 

 hind wings are olive-grev with a continuation 

 of the central shade, a darker marginal line 

 and a similar curved line between the two. 

 Sometimes all the markings are absorbed 

 into the brownish, grey ground-colour. It is 

 common in grassy places throughout Europe, 

 except the North, in May and again in July 

 and August. The larva, which is green with 

 pale longitudinal lines, feeds on grass in June 

 and in Autumn. 



Genus Agrophila, Boisd. 



Small moths with triangular fore wings, with 

 an appendicular cell, from which rise nervures 

 7 and 10, 8 rises from 7 near its base and 9 

 from 8. The hind wings are without markings 

 and have convex hind margins. Nervure 5 

 is more slender than the others, 3 and 4, and 

 6 and 7 have short stems, 8 rises from 7 at 

 a distance from the base. Proboscis spiral ; an- 

 tenna; setiform ; front projecting; palpi slender, 

 obliquely raised with an obtuse terminal joint. 

 Thorax rounded, with flattened scales; ab- 

 domen slender. They fly in the day-time in 

 dry places and rest with sloping wings. 



A. trabealis, Scop. The Spotted Sulphur 

 Moth. For* wings sulphur-yellow with the 

 inner margin; a longitudinal stripe parallel to 

 it; both edges of the submarginal line; both 

 stigmata; three spots on the costa and the 

 frhiges, except at the tips, black. The hind 

 wings are brownish grey with a faint central 

 lunule, and the fringes in their apical half 

 whitish. The abdomen is yellow ringed with 

 blackish grey. It is common in the sunshine on 

 heaths and dry places in Central and Southern 

 Europe, appearing in May and June and again 

 in August. It is rare in England and is not 

 found in Scotland or Ireland. The larva is 

 green or brown, dotted with black with a 

 pale yellow lateral line. It feeds in July and 

 in Autumn on Convolvulus arvensis. 



FAMILY 

 O P H I U S I D .'E. 



Large or middle-sized moths. Fore wings 

 broad behind, triangular, with the apices on^y 



slightly rounded ; grey or brown, generally with 

 two transverse lines and a submarginal line, but 

 no orbicular stigma. Fringes sinuated. Hind 

 wings usually brightly coloured, with a black 

 marginal band; or grey, without any markings. 

 Nervure 5 is as stout as the others. Palpi 

 raised, with a projecting, obtuse, thread-like 

 terminal joint. Antennae ciliated. Abdomen 

 stout and cylindrical, without tufts, with loose 

 tuft -like hair in the males or with distinct 

 tufts on the front segments (Catephia). Larvse 

 with undeveloped prolegs and a geometer- 

 like gait. 



Genus Euclidia, Ochs. 



Hind wings rounded and as long as the 

 abdomen. Antennae setiform, slightly ciliated 

 in the males. Palpi raised with a thin termi- 

 nal joint. Thorax with thin smooth hair. 

 Abdomen slender, smooth, somewhat thicker 

 in the females. Larvae smooth and elongated 

 with three or only two pairs of prolegs. They 

 feed on clover. The pupa; have a thin oval 

 cocoon on the ground. 



E. mi, Clerck. The Mother Shipton. PI. 

 XXVII. fig. 10. is common during the Summer 

 in meadows in Central and Northern Europe. 

 It is double-brooded. The larva has twelve 

 legs, and is yellowish brown or straw-colour 

 with fine dark and light longitudinal lines 

 and a white stripe on the sides. It feeds on 

 clover. 



E. glyphica, Linn. The Burnet Noctua. 

 Fore wings brown with the broad margin of 

 the two transverse lines, the central shade 

 and the costal spot in the suffused band 

 darkest ; and the marginal area in front of the 

 hind margin lightest. The stigmata are pre- 

 sent, but in the position of the posterior there 

 is an indistinct lighter spot. The submarginal 

 hne is straight, the marginal line darker, 

 with fine dentations which project into the 

 basal half of the dark fringes. The hind wings 

 are yellowish in the marginal half with a brown 

 abbreviated band, brown at the base. It is 

 common in meadows throughout Europe in 

 May and again in July and August. The 

 larva varies from yellowish to cinnamon-brown 

 with a darker dorsal line, which is often want- 

 ing or consists of fine lines. It feeds on clover 

 in June and in the Autumn. 



