124 



BRITISH MOTHS 



a broail pale stripe rnnniiig within the costa, nearly half alono; the wing. The anterior stigma is nearly 

 triano'ular, and the posterior one is reniforni ; the space before, between, and behind which is black, or dark brown. 

 The teliform stigma is very large, and extends to the base of the wing, but is interrupted by two pale, oblique, 

 divaricating stripes; the centre of the s])aces between the veins, behind and beyond the outer stigma, is marked 

 by dusky patches, and the apical margin of the wing is very irregularly brown ; the costa itself is marked with 

 numerous blackish dots. The posterior margin of the wing is also marked with a long dusky streak. The 

 iiind wino-3 are pale, with a slight central lunule and a dusky border. The abdomen is pale, but rather fulvous 

 towards the tip. 



Found near London, and Barnstaple, in Devonshire, by W. Raddon, Esq., the celebrated engraver, as well 

 as in Norfolk. 



SPECIES 20.— AGROTIS EXCLAMATIONIS. Plate XXIV., Fig. 13, 14. 



Female variety. — Noctua picca, //««'or(A ; Sam.; Curt. 

 Variety f — Agrotis plaga, Stephens, III. H. 388 ; Wood, Intl. 

 Ent. pi. i>2,fig. 1660. 



Synonvmf.s.— /'/id/. Noct. E.vclamalionis, Liiiii;i'us ; Hawortli ; 

 niibncr; Stewart; Stephens; Tieit. ; Wood, Iiid. Ent. pi. 0, figs. 

 150 and 1.50. 



Phaltsna clavus, Hufnaglc. 



This species is extremely variable in its colour as well as markings ; it measures from 1} to Ij- inches in the 

 expansion of the fore wings, whicli, in the more ordinary character of the species, are of a nearly uniform pale 

 brownish buff, without irrorations or any other than the ordinary markings, namely an indistinct basal, wavy, 

 jiale line, and another similar and very slender, but edged with black on each side, to the outer side of which the 

 teliform stigma is attached, which is very distinct, oblong, and black ; the other stigmata are generally dark 

 and edged with black, but sometimes nearly obsolete ; beyond the outer one is a much curved fascia, formed of 

 very slender blackish arches more or less distinct, and sometimes edged with whitish on the outside ; a very irregu- 

 larly angulated pale line runs near the margin of the wing, which is rather darker ; the costa is also marked with 

 several pairs of dusky and light dots, and is occasionally tinged with purple ; the head and thorax are of the same 

 colour as the fore wings, the latter marked with a rather broad angulated mark. The hind wings are nearly 

 white in the male, except at the outer angle, which is tinged with brown, as well as the veins. In the female 

 they are brown. 



Tiic variety j)icoa, of Ilaworth, has the fore wings of a pitchy black colour, without strigse, and with the 

 two basal stinmata oblono;, and the outer one round and black. The hind winffs brown. 



The Agrotis plaga of Stephens, from Whittlesea Here, is most probably another variety of this species, in 

 which the ordinary stigmata and strig;e are obliterated, the place of the former occupied by a " very faint brown 

 dash ; " whilst the teliform stigma is distinct and elongated into " a stout, deep, black longitudinal dash towards 

 the inner margin, and above one third the lenjith of the wing." 



The ordinary v.arietics of this species are very common. The larva precisely resembles those of A. corticea 

 and cinerca; it is found in July under stones and at the roots of grass ; it is of a dark brown colour, and glossy, 

 with a pale dorsal line and faint dots ; it feeds on groundsel. 



SPECIES 21.— AGROTIS NEBULOSA. Plate XXIV., Fig. 3. 



SvNoNYMES. — Agiolis nebulosa, Stepli., 111. Haust. 2, pi. 22, fig. 1 ; Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 9, fig. 1.51. 



Tliis very rare species measures only from li to 1 '- inch in the expansion of the fore wings, which are pale 



hoary or whitish gray ; the costa slightly clouded with fuscous, with a cloud of the same hue at the base of the 



wings, divided from the teliform stigma by a very obscure transverse waved striga ; anterior stigma round, small 



its centre and margin dusky ; posterior rcniform, clouded with fuscous and black ; behind this is an arcuated 



