158 



BRITISH MOTHS 



upwards, with the terminal joint exposed ; the thorax is crested in front, the crest being bifid, the abdomen is 

 elon<'ated, with each segment carinated, the apex with a tuft in the males. The fore wings are somewhat triangular, 

 with the apical margin sinuato-dentate. "When at rest, they are deflcxed at the sides of the body. The cater- 

 pillars are cylindric and shining, often with verrucose shining warts ; they feed either on the roots or leaves of low- 

 growinf plants, amongst which they conceal themselves ; and the pupjB are subterranean, either without or but 

 with a very slight cocoon. 



SPECIES 1.— XYLOPHASIA LITHOXYLEA. Plate XXXIL, Fig. 1. 



Synon-vmes. — Noclua lithoxylea, Wien. Verz. ; Fabr. ; Haworth ; Bdv. ; Godait, pi. Ill, fig. 5. Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 11, fig. 225. 



JVoctua siibhistris^ var., Esper. pi. 133, fig. 2. 



This species measures from li to nearly 2 inches in the expanse of the fore wings, which, as well as the body, 

 .arc of a pale ochre, or huffish white, the costa with several dark oblique dots, one of which, near the centre, is 

 dilated into a dark patch, between the stigmata ; the principal veins are marked towards the base of the 

 wings with two dark punctures, and there is an irregular slender line running from the base of the wing, 

 and another interrupted one at the base of the inner margin ; the stigmata are obsolete, the supplemental one 

 being replaced by a dark patch bordered by a blackish hooked line ; beyond this are a double row of black 

 punctures on the veins, placed obliquely, and succeeded by several acutely-angled lines, forming several successive 

 dentate strigae. The ground colour of the wings, near the anal angle and towards the tip, is of a brownish tint ; 

 the hind wings have a slight central lunule and a rather broad dusky ill-defined subapical bar, and the veins 

 dark-coloured, the margin of the wing punctured. The tufts of the thorax and abdomen are tipped with brown. 

 The caterpillar is green, with white dots and lines at the sides of the body. The moth is a common and widely- 

 dispersed species, which appears in July, frequenting hedges and gardens. 



SPECIES 2.— XYLOPHASIA SUBLUSTRIS. Plate XXXIL, Fig. 2. 



Synonymes. — Noctua musicalis ? Esper ; Godart, pi. 113, fig. 1. I Noctua subhtstris, Esper, pi. I33,fig. 1. Stephens; Wood, Ind. 

 Noclua lithoxylca, Hubncr. | Ent. pi. 11, fig. 227. 



This species bears a strong resemblance to the preceding, but is rather smaller, redder coloured, without the 

 dark double arched line in front of the thoracic tuft, and with a dark narrow band across the hind wings beyond 

 the middle. The fore wings likewise appear comparatively broader, the veins of the hind wings are scarcely 

 coloured darker than the rest of the wings ; there is also a more distinct central dusky lunule, and the abdominal 

 tufts are not tipped with brown. In other respects the two species are very similar ; all the wings on the under- 

 side have a dusky transverse striga9. Mr. Curtis gives this as the Musicalis of Esper, which Boisduval considers 

 as a variety of Lithoxylca ; Mr. Stephens, however, has sufficiently disproved this citation. The species is very 

 rare, having, I believe, only occurred near Brighton. 



SPECIES 3.— XYLOPHASIA POLYODON. Plate XXXIL, Fig. 3. 



Synonvmes — Pli. Noct. poli/odon, Linn.; Haworth; Boisduval; I Noctua radicea, Wieu. \eti.; Fabr.; Hiibner. 

 Stephens ; Wood Ind. Ent., pi. 11, fig. 228. | Noctua occulta, Esper. 



This species measures rather more or less than 2 inches in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of 

 a brown colour, more or less mottled with lighter or darker tints ; the costa is marked with several dusky patches, 

 indicating the origin of the strigEe, being arranged in pairs. At the base of the wing are two longitudinal black 



