;o 



136. 



ACRONYCTA SALICIS. 



The Sallow Noctua. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Noctuadte Lat., Leach. 



Type of the Genus Noctua Leporina Linn. 



AcRONYCTA Och. — Apatalae Huh. — Noctua Linn., Fab., Lat., Haw. 

 Antenna; inserted on the crown of the head, close to the eyes, 

 alike in both sexes, long, setaceous, composed of numerous 

 joints covered with scales above, basal joint tufted with scales, 

 forming a cup for the insertion of the 2nd (fig. 1 a). 

 MaxiUcc as long as the antennae, with tentacula towards the 

 apex (3). 



Labial palpi porrected obliquely, completely clothed with rather 

 short scales, the terminal joint being very distinct (4)j 3-jointed, 

 basal joint robust, 2nd long linear, 3rd short ovate (4 a). 

 Head suhtrigonate. Thorax subquodrate, clothed with rather long and 

 large scales. Abdomen large robust, angulated, obtuse, and having 

 a margin of scales in the males ; cijlindric conic in the females. Wings 

 deflexed when at rest ; superior rather elongate lanceolate; inferior 

 rather small. Legs j anterior the shortest. Tibiae; anteiior, much 

 shorter than the tarsus, with a ticisted, subulated spine on the inter- 

 nal side, the others spurred at the apex, the posterior having a pair 

 above on the side. Tarsi 5-jointed, basal joint the longest. Claws 

 simple. Pulvilli distinct (8, a fore leg). Larvae various, with 6 

 pectoral, 8 abdominal and 2 anal feet. 

 Obs. The dissections are made from Noctua megacephala Fab. 



Salicis Nobis. 



Pale cinereous, clouded with brownish cinereous. Superior wings 

 with a pale indented, abbreviated spot, near the base and an- 

 other in the middle, a small black ring towards the middle and 

 a large reniform one dark in the centre, beyond the middle ; 

 costa spotted with black, posterior margin with a row of black 

 spots parallel to which runs a sinuated, indented whitish line, 

 and nearer the middle, 2 indented sinuated black lines, the space 

 between them forming 2 white lunular spots at the interior mar- 

 gin ; a spot near the base and another subquadrate one nearer 

 the middle approaching the interior margin black. Abdomen and 

 inferior wings dull ochraceous, the former with an obscure black 

 line near the base, the latter with a nearly obsolete spot towards 

 the middle and a fuscous fimbria. 



In the Author's and other Cabinets. 



