/; 



237. 



ORTHOSIA LUNOSA. 



The Lunar Undcrwing. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Noctuidae- Za^., Leach. 



Ttjpe of the Genus Noctua instabilis Fab. 



Obthosia Och. — Noctua Linn., Fab., Esp., Huh., Haw., Don. 



Antennce inserted on the crown of the head close to the eyes, 

 rather long and setaceous, composed of numerous transverse 

 joints, covered with scales above pectinated in some males, in 

 others only serrated beneath, each joint being ciliated with 

 bristles (1) : simple in the females (la). 

 Maxill(B spiral, robust, considerably shorter than the antennae, 

 furnished with tentacula towards the apex (3). 

 Labial palpi porrected nearly horizontally, short, robust, densely 

 clothed with scales, long and bristly beneath (4) ; triarticulate, 

 basal joint robust slightly curved, 2nd longer but not so stout, 

 nearly straight and oblong, 3rd almost as long as the 1st, some- 

 what pear-shaped (4 a). 

 Head densely covered with long scales above. Eyes large. Ocelli 

 2 (7*). Thorax subglobose covered with rather woolly scales. Ab- 

 domen short, oblong, very obtuse and tufted at the apex in the males, 

 conical and sometimes pointed in the females. Wings forming a 

 triangle when at rest placed nearly horizontally , and sometimes in- 

 cumbent, superior long, sometimes with the apex slightly acuminated ; 

 inferior rather small. Legs, posterior as in Agrotis. Tibiae, anterior 

 with a short, flat, broad and acute spine on the internal side. Tarsi 

 5 -jointed, basal joint the longest. Claws minute. Pulvilli distinct 

 (8, afore leg). 

 Caterpillars smooth and naked, with 6 pectoral, 8 abdominal and 2 

 anal feet. 



LuNOSA Haw. Lep. Brit. p. 230. n. 203. 



Ochreous brown with a cinereous tinge. Antennse yellowish 

 white. Superior wings slightly acuminated at the apex, the 

 nervures and costa whitish ; a brown oblique oval spot with a 

 pale margin, and a larger reniform one near the disc, through 

 which runs an undefined dark bent striga; beyond the middle 

 is a whitish curved striga, and nearer the cilia a pale sinuous 

 one, internally with black spots elongated at the costa, the cilia 

 is spotted with brown and at the base is a row of black dots, al- 

 ternating with the nervures. Inferior wings shining, yellowish 

 white speckled with black, a lunular fuscous mark towards the 

 middle, an interrupted fimbria forming 2 large and 4 smaller 

 spots of the same colour ; the margin spotted with fuscous also, 

 the cilia ochreous. Abdomen brown, darkest at the base, the 

 margins of segments ochreous deepest at the apex. 

 Obs. This is a most variable species ; the above description 

 taken from a specimen of the usual colour, differs very much from 

 the variety figured. 



In the Cabinets of Mr. Haworth, Mr. Bird, and the Author. 



