moths of the earlier genera of Noctuites. 381 



Tiracola plagiata. 



Agrotis plagiata, Walker, Lep. Het., xi., p. 740 (1857). 

 A. plagifera, Walker, 1. c., p. 741. 

 Var. Agrotis spectabilis, Walker, 1. c., Suppl., 2, p. 704 

 (1865). 



Java, Borneo, Ceylon, Canara, Darjiling, and Moreton 

 Bay. 



The Canara specimens are labelled " sphingiformis," 

 apparently a MS. name proposed by Adam White ; the 

 variety from Moreton Bay is simply a dark-coloured 

 example. Mr. Druce has the same variety from Mexico 

 and Kio Janeiro. 



The genus Spcelotis (type S. ravida) consists of a few 

 oblong- winged species, the males of which have simple 

 antennae ; I think it doubtful whether this group should 

 be kept separate from the Noctua of authors, which it 

 greatly resembles. 



SP^LOTIS, Boisd. 

 Spcelotis ravida, Schiff. 



Noctua clandestina, Harris, Ins. inj. veg., 3rd ed., 



p. 448 (1862) ; 1st ed. (1841). 

 Mamestra unicolor, Walker, Lep. Het., ix., p. 233 



(1856). 

 Graphiphora valida, Walker, I. c., Suppl., 3, p. 711 



(1865). 

 G. caliginea, Butler, Ann. Nat. Hist., 5, vol. i., p. 165 



(1878). 



A somewhat variable common and widely-distributed 

 species ; the European examples are, as a rule, smaller 

 than those from other parts of the world. In the Grote 

 collection I found a female of this species labelled as 

 "A. pastoraUs, Grote." 



Most of the species hitherto placed in Spcelotis will 

 have to be removed to Chera. 



CHERA, Hilbn. 

 Chera birivia, Hub. 



I cannot distinguish the Agrotis dolis of Grote from 

 this species. 



