IK foiE iRItlSH IBiiAKJri. 105 



is : " Noclua alis anticis subnebulosis, extus cinereo-brunneis, intus 

 bnmneo-fuscis." " Ala3 anticae costam versus dimidiatim cineren- 

 brunneaB, vel rufo-cinerese, sed latus interius versus omnino brunneo- 

 fuscre, sive pene ustulatae, undique at supra obsolete striatse, atque 

 paululum nebulosae " (< Lepidoptera Britennioa,' p. .171). Distinct as 

 is this species from the next (soda} in the imago state, I must confess 

 my inability to express in words the actual difference. This species 

 is, of course, more uniformly dark, but some of the soda are as dark 

 or even darker than semibrunnea, especially about the inner margin, 

 but I have never seen an approach to the same distribution of the 

 dark coloration in the two species. The distinct small dark 

 longitudinal mark near the anal angle is a very constant character 

 in this species. Humphrey and Westwood write : ;< This species 

 measures 1.L inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are 

 remarkably long and narrow, the anterior or costal division 

 being of an ashy-brown colour, and the hinder division dark brun- 

 neous ; they are slightly clouded with darker tints, especially in 

 the region of the stigmata, all three of which are present but very in- 

 distinct; the veins are dotted with black, and near the apex of the 

 wing they are striped with thin black lines ; towards the inner mar- 

 gin, however, the stripes become much broader and are interrupted 

 towards the anal angle ; the apical margin is marked by a row of 

 deeply-angulated dark spots ; the hind wings are paler and shiny, 

 with the base and cilia pale, and with a dusky central lunule ; the ab- 

 domen has a row of blackish tufts down the middle ; the wings beneath 

 are paler, with a dark spot on the middle of each. This is a rare 

 species, but has been taken at Coombe Wood and also at Micklehain, in 

 October, by Mr. Douglas, from the flowers of the ivy " (' British Moths,' 

 p. 155). 



Xylina, Och., soda, Rott. 



This is a very variable species so far as the quantity of shading 

 is concerned, and there is also considerable variation in the ground 

 colour. The latter extends from yellow-ochreous to bright red, and 

 the inner margin from no trace of a darker shade to intense black. 

 Guenee writes : " It is distinguished from the following (semibrunnea ?) 

 by the superior wings being broader at the tip, the dark shading which 

 is confined to the centre and not on the inner margin ; by the inferior 

 wings being more unicolorous and marked below with a distinct 

 median line, very near the lunule ; lastly, by the abdominal crests 

 which are only found on the third and fourth segments " (' Noctuelles,' 

 vol. vi., p. 121). Humphrey and Westwood write of this species 

 under the name of petrtficdta : " This species, which has been con- 

 fused with the preceding (semibrunnea') measures If" in the expanse 

 of the fore wings, which are of a greyish ochre colour, with darker 

 clouds, a dark longitudinal stripe towards the base, and another be- 

 hind the stigmata, which are pale ochre-coloured, the space between 

 them being dark ; the costa is marked with several blackish dots, and 

 beyond these a series of dark cuneated marks, forming an angulated 

 striga, emitting several paler streaks ; the margin itself is dotted with 

 brown ; the hind wings are brown, with the base paler, and a sub- 

 central row of obscure dots on the veins ; the abdomen is ochre- 



