202 EUROFEAN BUTTERFLIES AND MoTITS. 



on the costa, and is marked witli black arrow-heads in front. The claviform stigma is absent, the 

 hind-wings are brownish-grey, and there is a black curve on the collar, which is whitish in front. 

 Expands from i|^ to \\ inches. A scarce species, apparently confined to North Germany in July 

 and August. {A. Islandica, Stand., from Iceland and Labrador, is grey; fore-wings, with the 

 costa, and orbicular and reniform stigmata white ; a sufifused pale band towards the hind margin ; 

 hind-wings white, dusted with grey, generally with a dark central spot ; the antenna are slightly 

 serrated in the male*. The larva feeds on Platitago latifolia, becomes a pupa in June, and the moth, 

 which like most polar species is very variable, fhes over thyme in July and August. (A. Norvcgica, 

 Staud., from the Dovre Fjeld, has dark chocolate-grey fore-wings ; basal area, nervures, and 

 orbicular stigma dusted with ashy-grey. The 2nd and 3rd lines, and the black lunules before the 

 hind margin, are much more distinct than in Tritici or Islandica. Hind-wings dirty white at the 

 base, and greyish-black towards the margins, and with a distinct transverse line beneath.) 



•]6. A. Nigi-icans (Linn.). — Fore- wings uniform violet-black, with a black basal streak, 

 indistinct double transverse lines, and the three stigmata narrowly bordered with black, and not 

 paler than the ground-colour within ; the subterminal line indistinct, or consisting of pale 

 angles ; hind-wings dirty white, with the hind margin brownish ; and the antennae of the male 

 serrated. Expands about \\ inches. Common in Europe and Northern Asia in July and 

 August. The larva is shining brown, with a paler zigzag stripe on the sides ; it lives on low 

 plants till April. 



"]"]. A. Aduiiibrata (Eversm.). — Pitchy brown, fore-wings with waved brown transverse lines, 

 the stigmata bordered with whitish, the claviform stigma short, and the orbicular stigma nearly 

 round ; the subterminal line composed of whitish dots ; and a row of black dots before the 

 fringes. Hind-wings grey, with a darker central spot, and the hind margins very broadly darker. 

 It inhabits South Russia. 



"]%. A. Reciissa (Hiibn.). — Resembles Tritici, but darker ; brown varied with violet-grey, 

 especially towards all the margins ; the markings better defined, the transverse lines distinctly 

 double, the orbicular and reniform stigmata reddish ashy-grey, placed on a sharply-defined black 

 pyramid ; the subterminal line pale, rather shortly dentated, and broadly bordered with dusky 

 on the costa, but with no distinct arrow-headed spots. Hind-wings grey, whitish in the male to 

 beyond the middle ; the under side of all the wings with a darker lunule, and the antenna of 

 the male slightly serrated. E.xpands about \\ inches. It is found in Northern and Alpine 

 Europe, and in the Altai in July. {A. Traiisyhanica, Herr.-Schaff., from Hungary, has dark 

 brown fore-wings, rather shorter and broader than in Obelisca ; the costa not paler; the 

 three stigmata well marked, the orbicular stigma large, paler than the others ; subterminal line 

 indistinct, scarcely dentated, and shaded with darker on the inside.) 



79. A. Ddstinguenda (Led.). — Much resembles Tritici, but the fore-wings are shorter, and 

 broader behind. Pale grey, with the costa broadly whitish, and the markings very sharply 

 defined, especially the large, pointed, arrow-headed spots on the subterminal line, and a pale 

 oblique streak behind the reniform stigma ; the antennae of the male strongly serrated. 

 Inhabits South Europe and the Altai. 



*8o. A. Tritici (Linn.). — Fore-wings moderately broad, grey, a little lighter on the costa, with 

 double dentated transverse lines, the orbicular and reniform stigmata dusted with whitish, the 

 claviform stigma surrounded with blackish, the subterminal line light, with two large teeth in the 

 middle, and with black arrow-heads in front. Hind-wings dirty white, with the hind margin 

 broadly grey, and the under side with no curved stripe ; the antennae of the male dentated. Very 

 variable ; sometimes all the lines, the black arrow-heads, and the claviform stigma are indistinct ; 



