202 



NOCTUlDiE, 



1416. Polia compta. 



Noctua compta, Schiff. Wien. Verz. p. 70 (1776); Fabr. Mant. Ins. ii. 



p. 1G9 (1787); Esp. Sclimett. iy. pi. 110. f . 6 ; Hiibii. Eur. Scliinett., 



Noct. f. 53; Dup. Lep. Fr. vi. p. 350, pi. 95. f. 2; Staud. Cat. Lep. 



pal. p. 163. 

 Dianthcecia viscaricB, Guen. Noct. ii. p. 26 (1852). 

 Lianthacia armeria, Guen. Noct. ii. p. 26 (1852) ; Mill. Ann. Soc. Cannes, 



1878, p. 9, pi. 3. f. 9. 

 Mamestra himilis, Christ. Iris, ri. p. 92 (1893). 



Head and thorax brown mixed with black and white ; teniae 

 Avith black medial line : tarsi ringed with white ; abdomen grey- 

 brown with whitish segmental lines. Fore wing fuscous black 

 suifused in parts with purplish ; a whitish patch on base of costa 

 traversed by the double, waved subbasal line from eosta to sub- 

 median fold, in which there is often a yellow streak ; antemedial line 

 double, waved, filled in with white towards costa and inner margin ; 

 claviform defined by black ; a w^hite medial band, its outer edge 

 defined by the waved medial line ; orbicular and reniform white 

 defined by black, the former round, the latter with brown centre ; 

 postmedial line double, dentate and produced to white spots on the 

 veins, filled in with white towards costa and inner margin, bent 

 outwards below costa, and strongly incurved below vein 4, some 

 white points beyond it on costa; subterminal line white, defined on 

 inner side by a series of small dentate black marks often placed on 

 yellow patches, some black beyond it in discal fold, angled outwards 

 at vein 7, excurved and somewhat dentate at veins 4, 3 ; a terminal 

 series of small black lunules slightly defined by white : cilia inter- 

 sected with white. Hind wing fuscous brown, rather paler towards 

 base ; a small whitish spot on vein 2 near termen ; cilia white at 

 tips ; the underside whitish, the costal area irrorated with fuscous, 

 the terminal area suff"used with fuscous, a small discoidal spot and 

 curved postmedial line. 



Ab. 1. viscarice. Pore wing with the medial band suffused with 

 yellow or brown. 



Ab. 2. Immilis. Fore wing dull greyish, the medial white band 

 dirty white, obsolescent and almost reduced to a spot. — Armenia ; 

 Taurus ; W. Turkestan. 



Ab. 3. anneria'. Fore wing dull grey-black, the lines obsolete, 

 the medial white band broad. — S. Russia. 



Ilab. Britain, Ireland ; Feance, Sand Coll. ; Gekmany, Zeller and 

 Frey Colls. ; Hungary, Leech Coll. ; Switzeriand, Frey Coll. ; 

 Sweden ; Russia ; Armenia ; Asia Minor, Pontus, Taurus, Bithynia; 

 Persia ; W. Turkestan, Sarawschan ; W. Siberia, Altai ; 

 E. Turkestan, Thian Shan Mts. ; S.E. Siberia, Amurland, 1 $ ; 

 Japan, Oiwake (Pn/er), 2 d" , 2 $ , Hakodate, 1 d" , Tokio (Maries), 

 1 c? . £^^p- 28-36 millim. 



Larva. Kirby, Eur. Butt. & Moths, p. 221. 



Reddish grey, with a reddish-brown dorsal stripe intersected 

 with white and expanding into segmental spots ; a yellowish -grey 

 lateral stripe. Food-plants : seed-capsules of Silene and Diantlins. 

 7-9. 



