THE GENERA OF BRITISH MOTHS. 39 
PLATE XV. 
No. 1.—The Common Dart (Agrotis Segetum). No. 7.—The Welsh Rustic (Spelotis Ashworthii). 
No. 2.—The Caterpillar of the Common Dart. No. §.—The Dotted Rustic (Spelotis Pyrophila). 
No. 3.—The Coast Dart (Agrotis Cwrsoria). No. 9.—The Purple Clay (Graphiphora Brunnea). 
No. 4.—The Heart and Dart (Agrotis Exclamationis). | No. 10.—The Ingrailed Clay (Graphiphora Festiva). 
No. 5.—The Caterpillar of the Heart and Dart. No, 11.—The Caterpillar of the Ingrailed Clay. 
No. 6.—The Rosy Marsh Moth (Cenophila Subrosea). | No, 12.—The Double-square Spot (Graphiphoru Triangulum) 
~ 
Tue genus Agrotis contains, even in its restricted form, a considerable number of distinct species, each of 
which is subject to great variations in colour and marking, rendering the group somewhat heterogeneous in 
aspect, though possessing certain general characteristics which are amply sufficient to establish those 
decided affinities of structure which warrant the present arrangement of the genus. The males of this group 
have generally slightly pectinated or ciliated antennee, which are longer than in some neighbouring groups. 
The antenne of the females are shorter, and generally simple. The front wings are rather long, and haye 
very distinct stigmata and other marks; the hind wings being pale, without mark, and the fringes paler. 
The body is somewhat robust, the abdomen rather depressed, and not crested. The Caterpillars are smooth, 
and of a livid or brown colour, varied with dull markings. They feed either on the roots or the lowest 
foliage of herbaceous plants, in the night, concealing themselves by day. They undergo their transformation 
in the earth, the Chrysalis being generally enveloped in a very slightly formed cocoon. I have selected the 
three following species as examples of the most dissimilar, but, at the same time, the most characteristic 
of the species :— 
Agrotis Segetum (the Common Dart, No. 1) is less distinctly marked in the female than the male. 
The Caterpillar (No. 2) feeds on the roots of various grasses. It is common everywhere. 
Agrotis Exclamationis (the Heart and Dart, No. 4) has received its popular name from the distinct forms of 
a heart, and the blade of a dagger, which may be traced upon the anterior wings; the last-named mark js present 
in most species of this group, thence called Darts. The systematic specific name is likewise, as it would seem, 
derived from the same dart-shaped mark, which also resembles a point of exclamation. This mark, too, is 
very constant in all specimens, while the heart-shaped stigma is often very faint in this species, and some- 
times scarcely traceable. The Caterpillar (No. 5) is found in the month of July, under stones, or at the roots 
of grass, though it is said to feed on groundsel. 
Agrotis Cursoria (the Ccast Dart, No. 3) is remarkable for the distinct ochreous tone of the front wings, 
but this colouring is very various in different specimens. It is one of the rarest species, The Caterpillar feeds 
on several kinds of spurge that grow near the sea, and is to be sought in the months of June or July. 
The following species of Agrotis are enumerated in the catalogue of the collection in the British Museum, but 
in the present work, as only professing to deal with genera, they cannot be all described in detail. A. Corticea 
(the Heart and Club) ; A. Valligera (the Archer's Dart); A. Lunigera (the Crescent Dart); A. Suffusa (the Dark 
Sword Grass) ; A. Saucia (the Pearly Underwing); A. Subgothica* (the Gothic Dart) ; A. Obelisca (the Square-spot 
* Not in many reccnt lists. 
