15 



3 - /^<^^ 



121. 



BREPHA NOTHA. 



The Light Orange Undeiwing. 



Order Lepkloptera. Fam. Noctuadae Leach., Lat. 



Type of the Genus Noctua Parthenias Linn. 



Brepha Huh. — Brephos Och. — Hemigeometra Haw. — Bombyx Fab., 

 Haio. — Noctua Linn. 



Antenna inserted at the back part of the head close to the eyes, 

 covered with scales above. Males: pectinated in B. Parthenias, 

 the branches clavate and ciliated (fig. 1 ) : more robust, very pu- 

 bescent and without branches in B.notha (fig. 1 *). Females: fili- 

 form, slender, and clothed with long scales (1 a). 

 Maxillcc very long and tapering, having a dilated membranous 

 edge and tentacula towards the apex (3). 



Labial palpi covered with long spreading hairs (4), 3-jointed, 

 2nd joint less robust than the 1st, 3rd slender ovate (4 a). 

 Wings rather narrotv, horizontal when at rest. Abdomen slender, of 

 the males terminated by 2 lateral lamellce and a dorsal incurved horny 

 process : of tfie females retuse when the ovipositor is not exserted. 

 Legs, anterior rather short. Tibiae anterior with a spine on the in- 

 ternal side, the others terminated by spurs, the posterior having a 

 pair above the apex. Tarsi 5-jointed. 

 Caterpillars half-loopers, with 6 pectoral, 8 abdominal, and 2 anal 

 feet. 



NoTHA Haw. Lep. Brit. p. 269. n. 8. — Parthenias Huh. Schmet. Noct. 

 74, 341, & 342. 



Antennae of male velvety black. Head, thorax and abdomen 

 black, clothed with brown hair : superior wings lurid ferruginous, 

 speckled with minute silvery scales ; blackish at the base, inte- 

 rior and posterior margins ; a black sinuated transverse line 

 near the base, and 2 others more obscure, indented, and parallel 

 with the posterior margin, beyond the middle ; a black spot 

 whitish in the centre, near the middle, approaching the costa, 

 upon a pale ochraceous attenuated stripe, and 2 other pale spots 

 nearer the apex upon the costa : cilia spotted alternately pale 

 and black : inferior wings bright orange, with a sinuated black 

 margin, an irregular line across the middle, uniting with a spot 

 extending to the base, and the internal margin of the same co- 

 lour : cilia yellowish, spotted black. Beneath orange, variegated 

 with ochre : superior wings with a black spot near the centre, 

 uniting with a blackish one upon the costa, apex partially fus- 

 cous, inferior margin and a spot at the posterior angle blackish: 

 inferior wings similar to the upper side. 



In the Author" s and other Cabinets. 



