THE IDENTITY OK THE BRITISH NONAORIA NEURICA. 6 



colour as the base of the wing. The hindwings above are of the 

 same grey colour as the forewings, but rather paler, of the same 

 colour as the underside of the four wings, which each have a central 

 black spot. The head and collar are of the same grey as the forewings, 

 The body participates in the tinge of the forewings. The antenna? 

 are of a greyish-yellowish and simple in both sexes. The larva is of 

 a dirty white colour, with the back of a pale reddish tinge. It lives 

 in the interior of the reeds. It turns to a chrysalis in June and July, 

 and the moth emerges three or four weeks afterwards. A'. nenHca is 

 rare in France." 



In 1840, Boisduval describes (Genera et Index Methodicus, p. 134, 

 no. 1081) the dark form of neitrica, Hb., fig. 659 (? a var. of neurica), 

 a,nd names it hessn, and says that Hess sent it to him as a variety of 

 neurica ; he also mentions that Treitschke refers in his synonymy to 

 true neurica. He concludes by saying " an rite ? " His description 

 reads: "No. 1081. Hessii, Boisd. (an var. neuricae ?). Neurica, 

 Hb., 659. Ala* antics nigro-fusca?, macula reniformi albida, intus 

 fusca ; alffl postica? pallidas. Dom. Hess, qui abunde Nonagrias circa 

 Darmstadt educit, mini ut variet neurica hanc speciem misit. Dom. 

 Treitschke quoque in synonymia ad neuncam genuinam refert. An 

 rite ? " 



Prof. Hering describes (Stett Ent. Zeit., iv., no. 11, p. 345), in 

 November, 1843, a larva with light reddish back as that of neurica, 

 and says: "I have found the larva3 at the beginning of July in Arundo 

 phraymites, when I have been searching for those of A', paludicola, 

 often in the very same reed stem. Whereas paludicola mostly lives in 

 the lower part of the reed, I find neurica always in the upper portion. 

 Then it is always rarer than the former. Its presence is always 

 betrayed by the withered top of the reed. It is distinguished from the 

 larva of paludicola by being always more slender, of more delicate 

 structure, and by the light reddish colour of the back. Its rearing indoors 

 was not more difficult than the former. I cut the reed stems beneath 

 the boring and above the joint, as also with paludicola, and stand the 

 shortened stems in wet sand. It pupates always towards the end of 

 June and becomes a moth, always earlier than paludicola, in the last 

 days of July." 



In 1845, Herrich-Schilffer figures (Schmett. v. Europ., ii., p. 244, 

 figs. 317-:'>1S, 2 ) as neurica what Schmidt recognises as arundineta. He 

 describes it, and says that it differs from Hiibner's fig. 381, which, he 

 says, is " totally defective in its outlines, forewings much too large," as 

 compared with the insect he is figuring. Afterwards, when Schmidt 

 sent him neurica and arundineta he acknowledges them as two species. 

 He also describes Jiessii and refers to Hiibner's illustrations, 657-661, 

 as "much too robust, outline of the wings defective." He says: 

 •• No. 189. Neurica (Hb. 381). — Totally defective in its outlines, 

 forewings much too large. Fuscotestacea loco stigmatis reniformis 

 annulo albo, fusco repleto. Hindmargin with sharply marked black 

 lunules between the nervures, the outer transverse line indicated by 

 black dots which are shown up by white on both sides. Dark reed- 

 colour, a longitudinal darker ray through the middle of the forewing, 

 before this, towards the COSta, some black dots, two indicating the 

 position of the central spot, the third indicating the inner boundary 

 of the front half of the reniform. Hindwinga- lighter, without 



