NOCTURNA NOTIOPHILUS. 



823 



position of the wings during repose varies much ; in 

 some groups (as Triphcena, &c.) they are placed 

 horizontally, and closely applied to the body, giving 

 the insect a somewhat cylindrical form ; in others 

 (Catocala, &c.) they are also placed horizontally, but 

 somewhat expanded, and forming a triangle ; in 

 others (as Phisia) they are considerably deflexed, 

 and the thorax is crested ; there is also consider- 

 able diversity in the form of the wings, though in 

 general the anterior ones are elongate-triangular, and 

 the posterior somewhat triangular-orbiculate ; some 

 few have the posterior margins denticulated ; and the 

 anterior wings are mostly ornamented with two stig- 

 mata, one more or less circular, the other reniform 

 (kidney-shaped), a character rarely observed in any 

 other family of this order. The larvae are usually 

 solitary, do not reside in a web, neither are they sub- 

 cutaneous ; but those of the genus Ceropacha twist 

 up the leaves similarly to those of the Tartridda ; the 

 pupse are usually subterraneous." The caterpillars 

 have generally sixteen feet ; some, however, have 

 only fourteen or twelve ; the posterior or anal pair 

 are never absent ; and in those species which have 

 only twelve the anterior pair of the prolegs is as 

 large as the following pair. 



This family corresponds with the Linnsean section 

 Phatena Noctua, and comprises nearly four hundred 

 British species, being mostly of a large or moderate 

 size, and intermediate, as it were, between the Bomby- 

 cidce and the PyralidcE or Tortricides. These are 

 divided by Mr. Stephens into about eighty genera, 

 often resting upon minute structural differences, 

 which renders it unnecessary for us to notice them in 

 detail, or even to give a list of them. In the work 

 of Ochsenheimer upon the European Lepidoptera 

 this family comprises forty-two genera, correspond- 

 ing for the most part with the sections proposed in a 

 valuable work published many years ago, containing 

 a classification of the lepidoptera found near Vienna, 

 and in which great use was made of the characters 

 obtained from the transformations of these insects, 

 and which consequently afford good distinctive groups. 

 The classification of this family is certainly a matter 

 of difficulty, which is greatly increased by the exotic 

 species having been almost entirely neglected, lepi- 

 dopterists having chiefly confined themselves to the 

 European species, although it is evident, from the 

 figures of many insects given by Drury, Cramer, &c., 

 that the extra-European species exhibit even greater 

 diversity of form than those of Europe. Dr. Hors- 

 field proposes to divide the family into three prin- 

 cipal groups upon the consideration of their meta- 

 morphoses ; and Latreille, after separating the genus 

 Erebus (in which the wings are always extended and 

 horizontal, and the last joint of the palpi long and 

 naked, and which comprises some of the most gigantic ^ 

 exotic species of the order), proposes to divide the 

 remainder into two extensive and parallel series. In 

 the first the larva? are geometrical, having either six- 

 teen or twelve feet ; and in the second the larva? are 

 sixteen-legged. Erastria and Chrytoptera appear to 

 terminate the respective series, and respectively to 

 tend towards the Pyralidee. Amongst the British 

 genera may be especially mentioned Catocala, Cucul- 

 /ia, Tri/)//(na, Agrotis, Mamestra, Calyptra (the herald 

 moth, C. Kbatrix), Xanthia (the sallow moths), Leuca- 

 nea (the wainscot rnoths), Phcsea (the spangled 

 moths), and Mar mo (the old-lady ninth), descriptions 

 of most of which will be found in their alphabetical 



places. It is to be regretted, amidst the introduction 

 of these new generic groups, that the old name 

 Noctua appears to have been lost sight of as a 

 generic title. 



NOCTURNA (Latreille). A section of lepido- 

 pterous insects which fly by night. See LEPIUOPTERA. 



NODOSARIA (Lamarck ; NAUTILUS. Linnaeus). 

 A genus of molluscs of the family Orthocerata, a very 

 confused and badly arranged genus, which under the 

 title Ortlioceras includes many recent and fossil spe- 

 cies, many of the latter being probably no other than 

 the spines of Echini, and many have been described 

 as minute Nautili. The recent species are found, 

 some of them, on the Mediterranean shores, buried in 

 the sands. This genus, like that of the Spirula of 

 Linnaeus, is blended with his genus Nautilus. 



NOLANA (Linnaeus). A genus of South Ame- 

 rican annuals, introduced into our flower gardens 

 about 1761. They belong to Solanece, and are pretty 

 flowering creepers. 



NOLITANGERE is the Impatiens nolitangere of 

 Linnaeus, an English annual, remarkable for the elastic 

 power of its capsules, which, when touched, discharge 

 the seeds with considerable force. 



NOMADA(Fabricius). A genus of bees, belong- 

 ing to the family Apidce and subfamily Cuckoo-bees 

 (CUCULIN.S, which see), having three sub-marginal 

 cells and six joints in the maxillary palpi ; the labrum 

 is short and suboval. This is an extensive genus, 

 consisting of nearly forty British species, being of a 

 slender form, with the body destitute of pubescence, 

 and ornamented with red and yellow or white bands, 

 giving the insects the appearance of small wasps. 

 They are chiefly found in the spring flying over 

 sunny banks, and endeavouring to deposit their eggs 

 in the provisioned nests of other bees, especially 

 AndrencE. The type of the genus is the Apis rujicor- 

 nis, Linnaeus. 



NONATEL1A (Aublet). A genus of South 

 American evergreen shrubs, with pentandrious flowers, 

 and belonging to the natural order Rubiaceae. This 

 genus has been called Psychotrm by other authors. 



NONE A (Moench). A genus of European annuals 

 belonging to BoraginecE. This genus of plants WHS 

 named Lycojius by Linnaeus, but separated by Moench. 



NORANTEA (Aublet). South American ever- 

 green shrubs, bearing polyandrious flowers, and be- 

 longing to Marcgramaceae. They are stove plants, 

 and succeed under the ordinary management. 



NORWAY SPRUCE FIR is the Abies exceha 

 of Poiret, a well-known forest tree. 



NOTARCHUS (Cuvier). This is a genus of 

 molluscs without a testaceous covering. The animal's 

 body is of a globular form, the foot similar to that of 

 the Eursatella, to which it appears nearly allied , it 

 has four tentaculae, separated through a portion of 

 their length, without prolonged labial appendages ; a 

 very small lateral superior branchia, nearly external, 

 or merely protected by a small fold of the mantle ; it 

 has no internal testaceous portion. The only species 

 described is the N. Cuvieri, which inhabits the Isle of 

 France. This genus forms a connecting link between 

 the Bursatella and the Elysia, and is one genus of 

 the family Aplysiacea. 



NOTEL^E'A (Ventenat). A genus of Australian 

 evergreen shrubs, belonging to Oleinae. The flowers 

 are inconspicuous, but the plants are ornamental, and 

 are manaared like other plants from the same quarter. 



NOTIOPHILUS (Dnmcril). A genus of coleo, 

 X2 



