^a 



276. 



ACONTIA CATENA. 



The Brixton Beauty. 



Order Lepidoptera. Fam. Noctuidas Lat., Leach. 

 Type of the Genus, Noctua luctuosa Hub. 



AcoNTiA Och., Treit. — Phytometra Haw. — Noctua Fab., Esp., Hub., 

 Haw. — Phalaena Sowerby. 



Antennae simple, slender and setaceous, inserted on the crown 

 of the head close to the eyes, covered with scales above, very 

 pubescent beneath (1). 



MaxillcE slender, spiral, as long as the antennae, ciliated on the 

 outside at the apex (3). 



Labial Palpi curved upward and clothed with close short scales, 

 the articulations distinct (4) ; triarticulate, basal joint rather 

 more than half the length of the 2nd which is curved, the 3rd 

 not so long as the 1st, slender and attenuated to a point (4 a). 

 Head broad. Eyes rather large. Ocelli 2. Thorax obovate clothed 

 vnth compact depressed scales. Abdomen rather slender, tufted and 

 obtuse in the viales, subcorneal in the females. Wings rhomboidal 

 or sublanceolate, the cilia rather long. Legs; anterior with an in- 

 ternal spine on the tibice ; posterior pair long, the tibice spurred at 

 and above the apex. Tarsi 5-jointed, basal joint the longest. Claws 

 and Pulvilli distinct, the former bifid (Sf). 

 Caterpillars naked, attenuated to both ends; Fab., — with 6 pectoral, 

 4 abdominal, and 2 anal feet ? 



Catena Sowerby's Brit. Mis. p. 29. tab. 14. — Catsena Haw. p. 184. 

 Pale cream colour, shining. Antennje ochreous. Eyes brown. 

 Superior wings sublanceolate, with a brown and grey spot at 

 the base upon the costa, margined with yellow and having 3 pale 

 lines across; a triangular one of the same colour at the middle of 

 the costa; the posterior margin with a lilac-coloured fimbria, the 

 internal edge yellow ; close to the base of the cilia, which is yel- 

 lowish lilac, is a line of white spots with lilac centres, forming a 

 chain and decreasing in size to the apical one which is oblong, 

 that at the posterior angle being the largest, bearing a dark pur- 

 ple spot with a lilac centre and a semicircular ochreous line on 

 the outside. Inferior wings pearly white, a small portion of the 

 margin slightly tinged with yellowish brown. 

 In the Author's Cabinet. 



