On the " Ayrotis vastaior," a species of Moth, now infesting 

 the Sea-board of New South Wales, 



By A. W. Scott, M.A. 



[Read 2l8t October, 1867.] 



Agrotis V\STAT0R. 



Agrotis vastator, A. W. Scott, M.S.S. W. B. Clarke, Sydney Morning Herald. 

 Agrotis Spina? Guen : Brit. Mus. Cat., Lep. Het., p. 348, part 10. 



Corpus robustum. Proboscis sat longa, Fasciculus frontalis 

 prominens. Palpi breves, porrecti, pilosi ; articulus 3us longi- 

 conicus, 2i diraidio non longior. Antennae corporis dimidio paulo 

 longiores : Mas. dimidio apicali pectinatae apices versus ciliat^ ; 

 Fcem. simplices graciles. Abdomen alas posticas paulo superans, 

 planum non cristatum. Pedes anteriores parvi ; posteriores longi, 

 graciles ; tibiae anticae spinosae ; posticae calcaribus quatuor longis. 

 Alee longae, sat angustae, plante non diflexEe ; anticse apud costam 

 rectae, apice vix angulatee, margine exteriore sat obliquo. 



Body robust. Proboscis rather long. Frontal tuft distinct. 

 Palpi short, porrect, pilose ; middle joint about double the length 

 of the terminal and half as long again as the basal. Antenna 

 somewhat longer than half of the body ; Male pectinated to half 

 its length, thence ciliated to the tip ; Female setaceous, ciliated 

 beneath. Abdomen extends a little beyond the hind wings, 

 terminating in a small tuft, flat, not crested. Legs anterior pair 

 small, tibiae spinose in front ; 2nd pair longer with two spurs ; 

 posterior pair long and thin with four long spurs ; tibiae and tarsi 

 of all the legs covered with elongated scales and rows of setee. 

 Wings long, rather narrow, flat not deflexed when at rest ; fore 

 wings straight in front, hardly angular at the tips, slightly 

 oblique along the exterior border. 



Length of the body 12 lines : of the wings 24 lines.* 



Male : fore wings shining light brown, mottled with darker ; 

 a velvety black lanceolate longitudinal discal band, containing 



A line is ei^ual to xV inch. 



