NOCTUIDiE. CUCULLIA. 85 



bodies, than by the remarkable similarity which exists amongst the 

 species, which in several instances approximate so closely, that 

 were it not from experience as to their metamorphosis, periods of 

 flight, &.C. there are not wanting individuals who would consider 

 them as mere varieties; but whoever has the opportunity, and will 

 take the trouble, to consult the splendid works of Sepp, Hiibner, 

 Roesel, Engraraelle, &c. will feel satisfied of their specific di- 

 stinctions, without taking into consideration those minute characters, 

 in the imago, that are readily seized by a practised eye. 



A. Wings denticulated. 

 Sp. 1. Scrophulariae. Alls anticis ex alhidojlavis, marginihus fuscis ; posticis 



albidis, fimbria fuse Ti. (Exp. alar. 1 unc. 8—9 lin.) 

 No. Scrophulariifi. H aimer. — Cu, Scrophulariae. Steph. Catal. part ii. p. 102. 



No. 6354.— Ph. Verbasci. Wilkes, pi. 15. 



Head ochraceous-brown, with paler streaks ; thorax ochraceous, with the tip of 

 the crest fuscous or bro^vn, and the sides minutely spotted with the same ; 

 anterior wings of a whitish yellow, or pale ochraceous, the costa pale fuscous, 

 with three white spots towards the apex, the inner margin also pale fuscous, 

 with a pale mark towards the anal angle resembling the figure 3, the latter 

 fuscous, with three or four flavescent streaks ; the hinder margin is slightly 

 streaked with pale fuscous, and bears a slender pale line parallel with its 

 edge, and bordered exteriorly with darker fuscous ; cilia ochraceous-brown : 

 posterior wings whitish at the base, the nervures and hinder margin bro%vnish : 

 cilia whitish, slightly varied with brown : abdomen, with the dorsal tufts, 

 deep brown, the sides clothed with ochraceous silken hairs. 



Caterpillar greenish- white ; the head yellowish ; the back and sides with some 

 black and yellow spots :— it feeds on the Verbascum and Scrophularia ; and is 

 found in the autumn, the imago appearing the following May. 



Although considerably rarer than the following insect, this species 

 is greatly dispersed throughout the country. I possess specimens 

 captured near Cheltenham, and have seen others from Gloucester 

 and Bristol. In September, 1821, I found the larvse in profusion 

 in Mr. Kirby's garden at Barham, feeding on a Verbascum, but un- 

 fortunately they perished during my journey home ; other persons 

 have also found the larvse abundantly on Riddles-down, near Croydon, 

 in the autumn, and have succeeded in rearing the imago, which is 

 now contained in most collections, though formerly only in few. 



Sp. 2. Verbasci. Alls anticis medio exflavidofuscis, jnarginihus ohseuriorihus ; 

 posticis fuscis, aid ochracco-albidis Jimbriff nigricanie. (Exp. alar. 1 unc. 9 

 lin. — 2 unc.) 



