272 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMER. 



Sept. 



cords with what I have before stated, that where 

 favoraWe circumstances permit them to live their 

 full 1m: vtB life, that near the close of it their color 

 somewhat changes. The habits of the moth of 

 this tpecies also agree with those of our species; 

 " during the day Ijing hid under the bark of 

 trees, in the chins ot fences, and even under the 

 locse clapboards of baillings." As to the state 

 in which the Noctua clandestina passes the winter, 

 notwithstanding the 6ta.tement of Dr. Melsheim- 

 er, Dr. Harris does not appear tobesadsfied, but 

 that he " infers " from their "size in May" that 

 this opiLion is " generally" correct. One thing 

 is beyond dispute in regard to our species, viz. : 

 that only a part are transformed to moths during 

 the season of their larvae state. Possibly they 

 may remain in the pupae state until the favorable 

 season returns arAl then undergo the transforma- 

 tion, thus causing the appearance of such vast 

 multitudes. On this point we want more data. 

 Let all who know any " facts " in regard thereto 

 publish them ; enough may thus be gathered to 

 settle the question beyond dispute. 



DKSORIPTI^.> DP TUB MOTH OR "MILIER." 



Length, a little over three-fourths of an inch ; 

 expansiori cf the wings one inch and three - 

 fourths ; fore wings somewhat longer than the 

 hind wings. General color of the fore wings 

 a pale ashy browu wit'i fine dusky points thickly 

 scattere I over tht m ; near the front margin just 

 behind tlic submarinal vein, between it and the 

 nezt chief vein ; about m d^vgy between the tip 

 and base are two lighter yellowish circular spots 

 with oarker center-^ ; the outer spot, which is at 

 the termination of tin; inuer vein, is the larger of 

 the two. IS'ear the outer point of the wing is 

 another pale triariiu'.ar spot, the point of the tri- 

 angle re^K'hJng vionri to the point of the witig, 

 this spot is often iniistinct, joining it on the in- 

 side is a dusky irregular spot ; the posterior and 

 part of the inner, is in-.d with a heavy fringe of 

 pale lilac color. The posterior wings are about 

 the leng'h of the abdomen ; having a pale cream 

 colored interior ba^;al margin ; the disk transpa- 

 rent, smoky ; a broa.', irregular, duisky band at 

 the tip, broadest befoio ; the posterior or inner 

 margin smoky witli a very slight tinge of purple; 

 the veins dusk ; on the dusk between the two 

 chief veins oppoKite he points where they bifur- 

 cate is a small oblong ausky spot; the tip or 

 hinder uiargui is wavy and is lined with a heavy 

 pale bilKy fringe. Tne b:ick of the head and 

 thorax are covered with a thick and heavy coat- 

 ing of fawn-colored hair. The thorax, although 



having a very heavy coating of hair, is not crest- 

 ed. The under side and tuft at the extremity of 

 a pale fawn color. The eyes a brownish-black, 

 slightly pubesceat. 



GE.-' EU.' L CHAR.' CTKRISTICS. 



The palpi rather short, ascending, hairy, ter- 

 minal joint short, small, horizontal and naked at 

 extiemity. Antennal simple, slightly ciliated; 

 of same specimens appear slightly pectinated 

 (sexual differences unasoertaine:!) ; head small, 

 thorax very hairy but not crested ; abdomen 

 tufted at the tip ; fore wings entire, not very 

 broad and very slightly deflexed. 



To make the foregoing sp^ciil characteristics 

 more complete I will add the following marks: — 



Many individuals, most in fact, have a small 

 white triangular dot on the mid ve'n of the fore- 

 wing at its bifurcation, touching the inner edge 

 of the po terior circular yellow spot before de- 

 scribed. In some individuals thicj dot is very ap- 

 parent, even at a distance, in ot'iers it is indis- 

 tinct. At the tip of the fore wing is a row of 

 submarginal black points regularly peaced and 

 rqui-distant, generally t.umbi'ri:.g ^ome seven or 

 eight. 



The generis characters of the moth I must ad- 

 mit carry this species nearer Leucania than any 

 other genus of Aoctuidm. Bit the habits and 

 characters of the larvae, if allowed to guide us, 

 would certainly place it in Hhi lis' sub-family, 

 Agrotididm. Having no woik gvir^g ?.vy sp'^cifio 

 or even generic charncters of L p.doptera save 

 what little is to be found it! Hairid & Westwood, 

 I must yield to the name as given by Dr.. Fitch, 

 yet protesting that the habits of t!ie Leucanians 

 as heretofore record ei will not embrace our 

 "army worm" butin aiany r-specis differ wide- 

 ly from them. As to takiug tii:> systematic ar- 

 rangement of the genera, a.^* a gii:de to similarity 

 in habits, I admit that in (he Noctuidie it is not 

 safe. For we are told by Mr. HWstwood that as 

 many as five distinct types of larvae are embrac- 

 ed in this family. And we also iind that the ar- 

 rangement of We-twood, of the Weiner Ver- 

 zeichmss, of Ochsenheimer, ind of (juenee all 

 differ. Yet all the^e ag ee in planing the Non- 

 agridi and Leucanidi in close pi oximiiy, and some 

 even include the latter in the former. And the 

 tiabits of the larva of this group are given thus: 

 " Most of them live wilhiu the sieni^^ of'reeds, 

 fligs and other water piaut-' ; some in the stems, 

 and even in the root." ot plants remote trom wa- 

 ter." Here I leave tliis point, unwilling to mea- 

 sure arms with an entomologist of the experience 



