272. 



TETHEA OCTOGENA. 

 The figure-of-80 Moth. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Noctuidae Lat., Leach. 



Type of the Genus, Noctua Or Hiih. 



Tethea Och. — Cymatophora Treit. — Noctua Linn., Fab., Haw. — 

 Bombyx and Pyralis Linn. 



Antennae inserted on the crown of the head, close to the eyes, se- 

 taceous, sometimes pectinated in the males, clothed with scales 

 above, very pubescent beneath, composed of numerous trans- 

 verse joints (1). 



Maxillce spiral, robust, shorter than the antennae, pubescent at 

 the apex with a few minute glands (3). 



Labial Palpi porrected somewhat horizontally, clothed with 

 scales, very short on the terminal joint (4); triarticulate, basal 

 joint short, robust, 2nd twice as long, elongate-conic, 3rd rather 

 shorter and more slender, elongate-oval (4 a). 

 Head very short. Eyes small. Thorax rather broad, more or less qua- 

 drate. Abdomen rather slender in some, short, tufted and lobed at 

 the apex in the males, conical in theftmales. Wings ample, superior 

 long, sometimes slightly uncinated at the apex. Tibiae, anterior with 

 a flat acute spine on the internal side, the middle pair spurred, the 

 posterior with two pair of spurs. Tarsi b -jointed, basal joint the 

 longest. Claws and Pulvilli distinct, the former slightly bifid (8, a 

 foreleg). 

 Caterpillars naked, fleshy, with 6 pectoral, 8 abdominal and 2 anal feet. 

 Pupae generally enclosed between the leaves of trees which are united by 

 threads of silk. 



OcTOGENA Esp., Goda. — Octogesima Hub., Treit. 



Female. Pale ochraceous. Head and front of thorax ash-colour, 

 the rest of the thorax and the abdomen subfuscous. Superior 

 wings variegated with fuscous and tinted with a rosy or violet 

 colour, especially at the base, where there are 2 obscure and 2 

 black waved strigae and upon the internal one a black dot ; near 

 the centre are 2 white spots forming 80 with a fuscous striga 

 passing round the 8, beyond which are 2 curved black lines and 

 2 pale ones edged with fuscous ; at the apex is a black oblique 

 curved line, and the margin is black also. Inferior wings paler, 

 with a fuscous fimbria and 2 fuscous and obscure lines across the 

 centre. 



In the Cabinets of Mr. Dale and Mr. Hope. 



As this is an artificial genus I shall follow Treitschke in di- 

 viding the British species into sections. 



