NOCTUID.^E. — LYTiEA. 107 



portance to constitute a generic difference, and moreover that the 

 habits of the species are more closely allied to the Triphsena than 

 to the genus before alluded to, from which it is at once known by 

 its proportionably shorter and broader wings, and by the lively 

 colour of the posterior ones : from Triphsena it differs in the pro- 

 portion of the joints of its palpi, subcrested thorax, and dissimilar 

 antennae. 



Sp. 1. texta. Alls anticis fuscis albido nebulosis, strigis flexuosis albis nigro 

 adnatis, posticis stramineis, margine latefusco. (Exp. alar. 1 unc. 6 — 9 lin.) 

 No. texta. Esper.—Ce. texta. Steph. Catal. pt. ii. p. 63. No. 6071. 



Head and thorax fuscous : anterior wings the same, with a cinereous tinge, 

 varied with whitish ; at the base is an abbreviated bent dusky striga, united 

 longitudinally to a transverse waved one of white, bordered posteriorly with 

 black, anterior to the stigmata; behind these last is a more distinct arcuated 

 white streak edged internally with black, and between this and the hinder 

 margin is an irregular deeply undulated pale striga : in the margin itself is a 

 row of dusky spots ; the ordinary stigmata are dusky with paler margins, and 

 between these and the inner margin is an elongate one, indicated by a double 

 black streak, as in the species of the genus Agrotis : the posterior wings are light 

 straw-colour, with a broad dusky margin, in which are a few white dots edged 

 with black posteriorly ; fringe also dusky. 



Var. /3. With the anterior wings beautifully varied with rich purpUsh-rosy 

 tints, especially the disc of the stigmata. 



Caterpillar whitish-gray, with a black dorsal line : — it feeds on the goat's-beard 

 {Tragopogoji) : — the imago appears about June. 



Far from an abundant species in most places ; it has occurred 

 sparingly at Darenth, Birch, and Coombe woods, on Epping Forest, 

 at Colney Hatch, and in Norfolk. " Epping, very common." — 

 Mr. H. Douhleday. 



Genus LXXXVIII. — Lyt^ea miJii. 



Palpi shghtly ascending, triarticulate, the two basal joints densely clothed with 

 elongate loose depending clavate scales, the terminal almost naked ; the two 

 basal joints of nearly equal length, the first slightly curved and very robust, 

 the second more slender, gradually attenuated from the base to the apex ; the 

 terminal minute, ovate obtuse: maxilluE elongate. Antennw rather long, 

 serrated internally in the males, and ciliated ; simple in the females : head and 

 thorax downy, the latter stout and not crested : hodt/ rather short, slender, 

 very downy at the base, slender posteriorly and tufted at the apex, and on the 

 sides: wings horizontal, entire; anterior rounded posteriorly; posterior 

 scarcely emarginate on the hinder margin; of a dingy hue, with a darker 

 margin. Zarm radicivorous : /jMjoa subterranean. 



