PLUSIA. 115 



THE SCARCE BURNISHED BRASS MOTH. PLUSIA CHRYSON. 



Noctua chryson, Esper, Schmett. iv. (2) i, p. 446, Taf. 141, 



fig. 2 (1789). 

 Noctua orichalcea, Hiibner (nee Fabricius), Beitr. Schmett. ii. 



p. 28, pi. 4, fig. W(i7 9 o). 

 Plusia orichalcea, Treitschke, Schmett. Eur. v. (3), p. 173 



(1826) ; Stephens, 111. Brit: Ent. Haust. iii. p. 105 (1830) ; 



Warren, in Buckler's Larvae of Brit. Lepid. vi. p. 100 (1895). 

 Plusia chryson, Kirby, Eur. Butterflies and Moths, p. 263 



(1882). 



The Scarce Burnished Brass Moth. 



The Scarce Burnished Brass Moth has a wide range 

 throughout Central and Southern Europe, Asia Minor, and 

 Siberia, but is local and rare in Britain. It expands about an 

 inch and three-quarters. 



The head, collar, and thoracic crest are pale ferruginous, 

 and the thorax itself and the tegulae are violet-brown. The 

 abdomen is yellowish-grey, with a black line along the middle, 

 on which stand dark brown raised tufts of hair, the first and 

 third of which are the largest. The antennae are long, and 

 pale ferruginous, with white scales. The front legs are densely 

 hairy above, whitish beneath, and the hind-legs are yellowish - 

 white. 



The fore-wings are of a delicate violet-brown, the costa and 



I 2 



