Plusia. 263 



golden-brown spots at the hinder angle and in the middle of the hind margin ; the hind-wings are 

 brownish-grey. Expands about i^- inches. Inhabits Central Europe, e.xcept the north-west, in 

 June and July. The larva is pale bluish-grey, dotted with black and white. It feeds on 

 Pubnonaria officinalis in May and June. 



8. P. Illustris (Fabr.). — Allied to Modcsta ; the fore-wings varied with rosy in the basal area 

 and beyond the cell, and the transverse lines bordered with rosy ; the elbowed line rather more 

 curved, and further from the subterminal line on the costa. E.Kpands from i-^ to if inches. 

 Inhabits the Alpine ranges in June and July, and has been reputed British. The larva is green, 

 with a broad dark stripe on the back, and a yellow one on the sides. It feeds on monkshood from 

 May to July. 



9. P. Uralcnsis (Eversm.). — Closely resembles Illustris, but a little smaller. Inner line less 

 oblique, more broken, and better marked ; orbicular stigma double, more distinct, rounder, and 

 enclosed by a fine brilliant yellow ring ; the central area darker, the elbowed line not so straight, 

 not angulated towards the costa, and strongly shaded with brown inside ; and the hind margin 

 bright rosy, intersected by the well-marked bright yellow subterminal line. The Department of 

 Basses-Alpes, the Ural, and the Amoor are the only localities recorded for this rare species, which 

 appears in July. The larva lives gregariously on Aconitiiui aiithora, and is full-grown at the end 

 of June. 



* 10. P. Chrysitis (L\m-\), {Burnished Brass MotJi). — Fore-wings violet-brown, with two broad 

 shining transverse brassy-green bands, often connected below the middle, and covering a great 

 part of the wing; hind-wings brownish-grey. Expands from \\ to l^ inches. Common in 

 Europe and Northern and Western Asia from May to September, flying over flowers at dusk. 

 The larva is pale green, with fine white lines on the back, and a white stripe on the sides. It 

 feeds on nettles and other low plants from autumn to May, and in July. {P. Zosiini, Hiibn., 

 from Piedmont, the Ural, and Northern Asia, has gilded fore-wings, with the costa brownish, and 

 a stripe near the stigmata coppery ; the borders of the stigmata and two spots behind reddish ; 

 hind-wings grey.) 



*ii. P. Chrysoii (Esp.), Orichalcea (Hiibn.). — Fore-wings violet-brown, slightly dusted with 

 golden, and the hind margin purplish-grey, a very large greenish-golden spot beyond the middle, 

 extending from nervule 3 almost to the costa ; hind-wings pale yellowish, with the hind margin 

 grey. Expands about if inches. Widely distributed in Central and Southern Europe and 

 Northern and Western Asia in July and August, but local ; in England it occurs at Deal. The 

 larva is green, with a dark line bordered with white on the back, and with waved white lines and 

 a white stripe, bordered with black above, on the sides. It feeds on Eiipatorium Cannabinuni 

 and Salbia glntinosa from autumn to May. {P. Orichalcea, Fabr., for which many writers have 

 mistaken this insect, is an Indian species closely allied to Chrysitis.) 



*I2. P. Bractea (W. V.). — Fore-wings violet-brown, shading into rusty-yellow in the larger 

 lower half of the central area, with a large greenish-silvery spot below the median nervure, which 

 is truncated above, obliquely lengthened behind, and rounded at the extremity ; hind-wings as in 

 Ckryson. E.xpands from ij to if inches. Occurs throughout Central Europe and Northern Asia 

 in July, chiefly in mountainous districts. It flies in the evening, and sometimes during the day. 

 The larva resembles that of Iota, and feeds on hawkweed and dandelion in May and June. The 

 moth is figured at PI. 40, Fig. i. {P. Hxcclsa, Kretschm. — Very like Bractea ; fore-wings purplish- 

 brown, with the marginal area shining, the metallic spot golden, narrower and more curved than 

 in Bractea; the outer line is waved, and the pale band between this and the shade at the tip of the 

 wing is very distinct, and is continued equally broadly as far as the lowest branch of the median 



