THE SCARCE MERVEILLE DU JOUR. 189 



NOCTUID.^. 



This extensive assemblage of moths, commonly known as 

 noctiias, and locally as "millers," "owlets," and "buzzards," 

 has been divided by Staudinger into five sub-families — Acro- 

 nyctinye, Trifina^, Gonopterinie, Quadrifinae, and Hypeninas. 

 These divisions are here adopted, and the arrangement of 

 species is adhered to pretty closely, except in the Trifinas, 

 where it has been considered necessary to make sundry altera- 

 tions so as to fall more in line with later classification, at least 

 so far as concerns genera. 



The eggs of species in this family are round and somewhat 

 flattened in shape, and the shell is fluted or netted. Some few 

 examples of these have been figured. 



Most of the larvae conceal themselves during the day, in the 

 ground, among low herbage, or in spun-together leaves, and 

 only leave their retreat at night to feed. Most kinds change to 

 the chrysalis state underground, but some pupate among leaves 

 or in chinks of tree bark, etc. 



With some few exceptions the moths fly only at night, by far 

 the larger number will visit the sugar patch, and others come 

 readily to flowers or to light. 



Distribution abroad will only be referred to where this is 

 restricted in Europe, or extends far beyond European limits. 



ACRONYCTIN^. 

 The Scarce Merveille du Jour {Diphtcra orion). 



This pretty moth has the fore wings green variegated with 

 white stripes and black cross lines ; the hind wings are greyish, 

 marked with white at the anal angle. The spaces between the 

 interrupted cross lines of the fore wings are often marked with 



