NOCTUAS. 



II 



re rather short, and are simple in both sexes ; 

 the fore wings are gray, with various black 

 linear markings : the principal of these are, 

 -st, an irregular cross, which bears a fancied 

 semblance to a Greek psi placed sideways --, 

 and is situated near the anal angle ; exactly 

 intermediate between this and the tip of the 

 ing, is a much smaller mark of the same 

 ape : the reniform and orbicular spots are 

 cry vague and obscure ; the orbicular has a 

 very delicate black border on its outer side 

 only, the reniform has a similar black border 

 on its inner side only, and this is double at its 

 lower extremity ; these two semicircular 

 markings are placed back to back, and are 

 connected by a short and straight black line ; 

 together this constitutes the second principal 

 marking ; the third is a strong black line, 

 which proceeds from the base of the wing 

 almost to its middle, and which emits three 

 or four lateral branches : the hind wings are 

 nearly white with darker wing-rays and a 

 otted fringe : the head, thorax, and body are 

 y ; a black line originating in each palpus, 

 sses along the head including the eye, and 

 ong the thorax just above the base of the 



g. 



The CATERPILLAR does not roll in a ring, 

 feign death when disturbed. The body is 

 mewhat incised at the interstices of the seg- 

 cnts, hairy, and having a conspicuous hump 

 the fifth and twelfth segments. The head is 

 black and shining, but emitting so many hoary 

 hairs, as to give it a gray appearance. The 

 body is black, beautifully ornamented with 

 orange and snow-white markings ; the second 

 segment is black, with a small median 

 white spot on the back ; the third and 

 fourth segments are slightly swollen on the 

 back, the centre of each swelling being 

 orange-yellow ; on each side of each of 

 these segments is also a bright orange spot ; 

 the fifth segment has a conspicuous median 

 hump, velvety black on the summit, but 

 hoary behind, and having one white spot on 

 each side; a little distance below this is a 

 pair of white spots closely approximate, and 

 on each side of them a larger orange spot ; on 

 the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, and 



eleventh segments is a median -stripe, rather 

 narrowed, entire, and of an orange-yellow 

 colour, in the centre of each segment, rather 

 dilated, longitudinally divided, and dingy 

 white in the interstices ; on each side of each 

 segment, below this median stripe, are two 

 white spots, one above the other, like the 

 colon in printing, and there are three orange 

 spots of different forms below the lower of 

 these white spots ; the twelfth segment is 

 decidedly humped, and has a conspicuous 

 snowy- white mark on the summit, shaped 

 something like a cross, but the hinder radius 

 of the cross is sometimes wanting; the hind 

 margin of this segment has a broad orange 

 border ; the thirteenth segment terminates in 

 a kind of horn, quite black and directed back- 

 wards : below the lateral series of orange spots 

 I have described, is a lateral stripe mottled 

 with yellowish markings, among which are 

 situated the spiracles, and below this again is 

 a slender interrupted orange stripe. It feeds 

 on white-thorn ( Cratcegus oxyacantha), black- 

 thorn (Prunus spinosa), and some other trees 

 and shrubs. When full-fed in September and 

 October, it spins a silken cocoon on the trunks 

 of trees, concealing itself in crevices of the 

 bark, and therein changing a CHRYSALIS, 

 in which state it remains throughout the 

 winter. 



The MOTH appears in June ; the caterpillar 

 has been taken in many English counties, and 

 also in Ireland. (The scientific name is Acro- 

 nycta tridens.'] 



1. Obs. The beautiful variety represented by 

 the second figure is in the rich cabinet of 

 Mr. Greening, and has been kindly lent me 

 purposely to figure in this work. 



2. Obs. I do not know why this insect is 

 called the "Dark" Dagger: it is no darker 

 than the " Gray " Dagger ; but I have an in- 

 superable objection to changing a name. I 

 may, perhaps, be allowed, in this place, to 

 express a hope that my younger readers, for 

 whose accommodation the English names are 

 introduced, will endeavour to learn the Latin 

 or scientific names which are now in universal 

 use among entomologists. 



