142 



BRITISH MOTHS 



reddish frey ; the hind margin of the fore wings paler ; the place upon the great median vein wlience tlie 

 branches arise is marked, near the middle of the wing, with a white spot, between which and the base, in fine 

 specimens, is a very slightly indicated, oblique, dusky striga, and behind the white patch a small, indistinct, 

 dusky dot ; beyond the white patch is a curved row of black dots placed one on each of the veins, and occasionally 

 beyond this is the rudiment of a very much angulated, dusky, marginal bar ; the hind wings are pale brown, 

 with the cilia of all the wings rosy grey. The male lias the abdomen with a patch of black hairs at the base, 

 and the antenna: very slightly ciliated. The caterpillar is dark buff-coloured, witli a reddish stripe down 

 the side. It feeds on various low weeds, and the moth appears at the beginning of July ; it is not very 

 common, but occurs in various places in the South of England. 



SPECIES 3.— MYTHIMN.\ LITHARGVRIA. Plate XXIX., Fig. (i. 



SvNONYMES. — Noctua LUhargyria, Borkliausen ; Ilubncr ; 

 Stepliens ; Treitschke ; Wood, Ind. Eut. pi. 10, fig. 190. 

 Noctua ferrago, Fabricius. 



Noctxia punctum alburn^ V'illeis. 



Noctua ferruf/htea, Sciiba. 



Leiicania L'tthargyria (var. Anarfiyria), Boisduval. 



This species measures from 13 to 17 lines in expanse of the fore wings, which are of a pale ochre-brown, 

 more irrorated with dusky than the last species, especially at the base of the wings, with an undulated striga 

 towards the base, followed by a slightly distinct series of dots, and an indistinct whitish patch situated in the 

 same position as in the last, beyond which is a curved series of blackish dots placed on the veins, the ground 

 colour of this part of the wings being darker ; the hind wings arc reddish brown, paler at the base, with reddish- 

 grey cilia. The males have not a black tuft of iiairs at the base of the abdomen beneath. 



The caterpillar is pale greyish-brown, with several white slender longitudinal stripes on the back and side, 

 the first segment with a dark scaly patch above ; it feeds on the plantain. The species is rare, our drawing 

 having been made from the collection of Mr. Stephens, who possesses both se.xes. It has been found near 

 Brockenhurst in the New Forest in July. 



SPECIES 4.— MYTHIMNA CONIGERA. Plate XXIX., Fig. .3, 4. 



SvNONYMES. — Noctua roiiigira, Wien. Vcrz.; Fabiiciiis ; Tieitsclike; Hiibncr ; Ilawortb ; Stepbeus ; Wood, plali- 10, fig. 191. 



Noctua Jioccida^ Esper. 



This species measures about 1} inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a yellowish-red or 



ferruginous buff, the ordinary stigmata are very obsolete and rather paler ; a small clear white conical spot being 



jilaccd at tlie base of the outer stigma, directed towards the body ; a brown striga towards the base of the 



wings bent nearly at right angles, and another oblique one towards the apex of tlie wing, angulated near 



the costa ; beyond this the ground colour is paler, but the wing terminates with an irregularly angulated brown 



apical margin. The hind wings are pale reddish-brown, paler at the base; the antennaj are simple. 



Tlie caterpillar resembles that of the preceding species, being of a greyish-brown colour, striped longitudinally 



with black and white, the back being of a redder colour, and the first segment with a black patch and three 



white lines. It feeds on various low-growing plants. The moth appears at the end of July, and is not rare in 



the woods round London ; it has also occurred in Derbyshire and Yorkshire. 



SPECIES .5— MYTHIMNA IMBECILLA. Plate XXIX., Fig. 8. 



Synonyme3. — Noctua imbecilla, HUhner ; Cunis Guide ; Wood, 1 Noctua a'iena, lluhmr. 

 Ind. Eot. pi. 54, fig. 44. | N. nem? Duponcbel. 



This species measures about I^ inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a reddish-fulvous colour, 



with the ordinary strigas distinct and brown, the first, towards the base of the wing, nearly straight and trans- 



