LEPIDOPTERA. — NOCTUID&. 395 
more by day, we find the wings, and occasionally the hind wings, 
more gaily ornamented. This is the case with the Catocale, or 
scarlet underwing moths ; whilst the Plusiz are adorned with patches 
of silver or gold. Some of the latter may occasionally be observed 
during the day darting about and hovering over long-tubed flowers 
into which they insert their long spiral tongue. 
M. Dumeril (Ann. Sct. Nat. Sept. 1830) has published an account 
of two larve belonging to species of this family, which had been 
voided by a person in ill health; and in the Bull. Soc. Nat. Moscow, 
No. 5., is a notice, by M. Gomerthall, of one of these larva, which had 
been observed to be luminous. In the Wag. Nat. Hist. 1st ser. No. 15., 
is a notice, by the present Bishop of Norwich, of the occurrence of an 
unusual number of individuals of Noctua typicoides (Heliophobus 
popularis Sé). I regret that want of space will prevent me from doing 
more than referring to an interesting memoir on the habits of Nonagria 
Typhez, in the Entomol. Mag. vol. 1. p. 455. (by Mr. E. Doubleday *), 
and in the Ann. Soc. Ent. France, tom. ii. p. 448. 451.; to notices of 
the habits of Agrotis Segetis, in ditto, 1834, App. p. 19.; Bryophila, 
ditto, 1836, App. p. 3., and 1837, p. 123.; to Loschge’s memoir on 
Achatea piniperda, in Der Naturforscher, st. 20.; and to Mr. Wailes’s 
memoir on Charzeas graminis, in Entomol. Mag. No. 18. p. 232. 
This family corresponds with the Linnean section Phalaena Noctua, 
and comprises nearly 800 European, and 4.00 British species, mostly 
of a large or moderate size, divided by Mr. Stephens into about 80 
genera, often resting upon minute structural differences. In the 
work of Ochsenheimer, the family comprises 42 genera, most of 
which correspond with the sections in the family proposed in the 
Weiner Verzeichniss (vide ante, p. 326.). The classification of the 
family is certainly a matter of great difficulty, owing to the “ ex- 
treme similarity in general appearance” of the species, and which is 
greatly increased by the exotic species having been almost entirely 
neglected, although it is evident, from the figures of many species 
given by Drury, Cramer, Abbott and Smith, &c., that the extra- 
European species exhibit even greater diversity of form than those of 
Europe. Dr. Horsfield, we have-seen (ante, p. 328.), proposes to 
divide the family into five stirpes (one of which agrees with the 
* This gentleman has also published an extensive list of the species of this family 
captured by him, and which had been attracted by the sweets of an empty sugar 
hogshead. 
