NOCTUID^. 3 



Noctuince, Erastriancp,, and Hy])enince the 1st pair or first two pairs 

 are usually more or less aborted, and the larvae are semiloopers, this 

 character being most strongly developed in the young larvae, and 

 therefore probably adaptive and not ancestral. In the Acontiance 

 many species have the thoracic somites greatly swollen. 



The larvae in the 1st group of subfamilies usually pupate in the 

 earth without a cocoon, a cemented chamber being often formed ; 

 in some species of Acronycta and in most of the second group a 



:--vii 



Fig. 1. — Larva of Agrotis projiuba, somite vi. 



cocoon is made among leaves, on bark, or on the surface of the 

 ground. The species of the genus Euhlemma feed on Coccidce and 

 a cocoon is formed covered with their skiDs. 



The tubercles are usually simple with single hairs : iv, v well 

 separated, iv tending to become situated just behind the spiracle 

 but varying in position on the different somites and in different 

 species from below to above the spiracle ,: the setae of vii are never 

 consolidated into a distinct wart, but the three hairs are scattered 

 on the outside of the leg or on the chitinous leg-plate, which is 

 frequently developed ; the two sublateral tubercles are v, vi ; 

 tubercles vii and viii appearing ventralty on the leg-less somites ; in 

 some species of Acronycta the tubercles are represented by large 

 hairy warts (Dyar, Ann. jST, Y. Acad. Sci. viii.). 



Pupa with the 5th and 6th abdominal segments free, the moth 

 when emerging from the cocoon leaving the pupal skin retained 

 within it by the cremaster. 



Key to the SuhfamUies. 



A. Maxillary palpi absent. 



a. Hind wing with vein 5 obsolescent from or from just 

 below middle of discocellulars. 



a}. Mid and hind tibice, or hind tibi^ only, spined Agrotina. 



b^. Mid and hind tibice not spined. 



a?. Eyes hairy HadenincBt 



tr. Eyes not hairy. 



a?. Eyes with long overhanging cilia CucuEiaucB. 



b^. Eyes not ciliated Acronyctina . 



^'2 



