NONAGRIA. if 



The larva is fusiform, dull grey, sometimes tinged with 

 reddish, with a white dorsal line, edged with blackish, which 

 fades away behind. There is a sub-dorsal blackish stripe, 

 which is interrupted at the incisions, and generally commences 

 on the fifth segment, and below it is a white line. The 

 spiracles are bounded above by a longitudinal stripe, darker 

 than the ground-colour, and beneath by another stripe which 

 is lighter. The cervical plate is light brown, with the three 

 white longitudinal lines distinctly marked upon it. The head 

 is light brown, and marked with two converging brown longi- 

 tudinal lines. The body is set with scattered hairs. 



The larvae hybernate while still small, and may be found 

 under stones in spring. They feed upon grass and low plants. 

 They enter the ground when about an inch and a quarter long, 

 generally at the beginning of May. 



The pupa is yellowish-brown, and is enclosed in a slight 

 cocoon. The moth usually appears in July, but late speci- 

 mens may not appear till August. 



GENUS NONAGRIA. 



Nonagria, Ochsenheimer, Schmett. Eur. iv. p. 82 (1816); 

 Treitschke, Schmett. Eur. v. (2), p. 309 (1825) ; Guenee, 

 Spec. Gen. Lepid. Noct. i. p. 99 (1852). 



The type of this genus is a brown and very hairy Moth, with 

 a long abdomen, extending considerably beyond the hind- 

 wings. The larva feeds in the stems of reeds. 



THE REED MOTH. NONAGRIA ARUNDINIS. 



Noctua arundintSy Fabricius, Mant. Ins. ii. p. 141, no. 54 



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