five new Noctuid moths from Japan. 185 



grey tint, gradually darkening from the base to the outer margin ; 

 the fringe white, traversed by a black line ; under surface smoky 

 grey, the centre of the secondaries whitish, so as to show clearly a 

 small black disco-cellular crescent; other markings obsolete. 

 Expanse of wings, 38 mm. 

 Japan (H. Pryer). 



In Staudinger's Catalogue I find that the three species 

 above referred to are placed in three separate genera 

 D. convergens in Dichonia, D. protea in Dryobota, D. 

 genista in Mamestra, but why is not stated ; and, after 

 carefully comparing their structure, I fail to see any 

 justification for such a proceeding. M. Guenee placed 

 all three in Hadena, and indicated H. w-latinum 

 (= genista) as type, though the latter was not originally 

 recorded as a member of the genus in Schrank's 

 enumeration of the species : the actual type of Hadena 

 appears to be H. cucubaU, so far as I have been able to 

 ascertain ;* the latter was originally associated by 

 Boisduval with other clearly heterogeneous forms, as 

 representing his genus Dianthcecia, and has subsequently 

 been placed in the latter group. 



PLUSIID^. 



Plusia hiimeralis, n. s. 



Nearly allied to P. chryson ; of the same size, form, and general 

 pattern, but the primaries without the golden patch, with the basal 

 area lilacine grey, crossed close to the base by a blackish line, and 

 just beyond this by a tapering blackish band ; central area more 

 purplish in tint, with the three lines much darker, and the outer- 

 most of the three less strongly undulated ; external and apical areas 

 more bronzy, very glossy; secondaries whiter, the line and border 

 better defined; thorax duller in tint, abdomen whiter; under 

 surface cream-coloured instead of ochreous, but in other respects 

 similar. Expanse of wings, 49 mm. 



Yezo (H. Pryer). 



POLYDESMID^E. 

 Polydesma vulgaris, n. s. 



Primaries above greyish or cupreous-brown, always pale and 

 more or less sericeous, crossed by numerous ill-defined brown or 



* Mr. Kirby has kindly assisted me in looking up the probable 

 type of Hadena, but we have not been able to give sufficient time 

 to the matter to come to any final decision. 



