NOCTUID.15. — MIANA. 11 



Extremely variable in colour, and in the intensity of its markings : in some 

 examples the pale posterior of the wing is nearly immaculate, in others con- 

 siderably spotted with dusky or black. 



Noctua; furca and rava of Haworth are evidently both refeiTible to the same 

 species; and as the fonuer name is first in order, I have prefeiTed it to de- 

 signate the species, which Treitschke considers as a mere variety of his Ap. 

 didyma. 



Not uncommon in August about London, frequenting tlie hedges 

 of pastures and meadows. In abundance at Hertford and Ripley. 

 " Bottisham."— i^t't). L. Jemjns. « Netley."— J^eu. F. W. Hope. 



Sp. 9. ophiogi-amma. Alls anticis ochraceis maculd magna siihovale costali 

 nigro-fuscd lined longitudinull repandd alhd. (Exp. alar. 1 unc. 3 — 4 Un.) 



No. ophiogramma. Esper. — Ap. ophiogramma. Steph. Catal. part ii. p. 86. 

 No. 6238. 



Head and thorax ochraceous-ash, the latter with a transverse black line in front : 

 anterior wings of an ochraceous or gi-iseous hue ; wth a large subovate deep 

 fuscous costal patch, in which the stigmata are placed ; this is bounded, in fine 

 specimens, with a repanded longitudinal white line; on the anal angle of the 

 wing is a cuspidated black spot, and another smaller one on the hinder margin 

 near the costa: the stigmata vary in colour, but the posterior is usually 

 griseous : posterior wings whitish-ash, with an obscure transverse striga. 



Rare : specimens have been taken near Woolwich, in Epping- 

 forest, in meadows near Hackney, and in Copenhagen and Battersea- 

 fields. 



Genus CXHI. — Miana mild. 



Palpi short, porrected obliquely, the two basal joints sparingly clothed with 

 elongate scales, the terminal one exposed, somewhat acute, and placed obhquely, 

 very slender when denuded ; the basal joint short, stouter than the following, 

 which is sUghtly curved, attenuated towards the apex, and nearly three times 

 as long as the basal; terminal elongate-ovate, nearly as stout as the second, and 

 about the length of the basal : maxillce elongate. Antennw short, finely ciliated 

 and pubescent in the males, simple in the females : head with a frontal crest : 

 <-7/c* naked : thorax subquadrate, with a posterior dorsal crest: abdomen slender, 

 with a smaU tuft at the apex in the males, and a little crested on the back : 

 icings entire, deflexed, anterior elongate-triangular, with indistinct, nearly 

 concolorous, stigmata. Caterpillar naked : pupa subterranean. 



The insects of this genus are amongst the smallest of the Noc- 

 tuidse, and, like those of the cognate genera, they are extremely 

 prone to vary : it is therefore not without considerable doubt that 

 I have given them nearly as described by Mr. Haworth, who, in 

 another place, justly remarks, " When neighbouring specks abound 



