1 68 LEPID OP TERA . 



slender ; vein 5 arising below the middle. Among our 

 smallest Nocture. 



We have but one species. 



1. H. arbuti, Fab. ; tenebrata, Stand. Cat. — Expanse 

 § inch. Fore wings broad and very short ; red-brown shaded 

 with black-brown or black in obscure bands. Hind wings bright 

 yellow with the base, and a broad hind-marginal band, black. 



Antenna? of the male short, simple, naked, black-brown, 

 barred at the back with white ; palpi very short, horizontal, 

 bluntly tufted, purple-brown ; eyes shining black ; head 

 tufted, purplish-brown ; thorax small and rounded, collar 

 and shoulder-lappets raised, all purple-brown ; abdomen very 

 small, blackish-brown, dusted with yellowish scales ; lateral 

 tufts hardly perceptible ; anal tuft small. Fore wings small, 

 short but rather broad and very blunt ; costa faintly arched ; 

 apex bluntly angulated ; hind margin gently curved, not 

 very oblique ; dorsal margin straight ; colour velvety choco- 

 late-brown, faintly dusted with ashy-white ; first and second 

 lines imperceptible, except under a lens, which merely shows 

 them chocolate-brown without ashy scales ; between them is 

 a central shade or band of chocolate-black, velvety and 

 forming three faint loops ; before and beyond it are scattered 

 most of the ashy-white scales ; subterminal line distinct at 

 the costa, sharply edging a chocolate space, aud dividing it 

 from an apical and marginal space which is much dotted 

 with bluish-white scales, and extends one-half the distance to 

 the anal angle, beyond this the liue almost disappears ; stig- 

 mata not indicated ; costa beyond the middle spotted with 

 pale yellow, the largest spot extending round the apex ; cilia 

 pale chocolate at the apex of the wing, the middle of the 

 hind margin, and the anal angle, the intermediate spaces 

 being creamy-white with an intersecting brown line. Hind 

 wings rounded, black at the base, and having a broad black 

 band round the hind margin ; the middle area of the wing 

 being rich orange-yellow ; there is also a faint superficial 



