AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS. 



171 



wings runs a sliort, curved, slender, black line. The costa i.s marked with several small dark bro^vn dots 

 arranged in jiairs ; the anterior stigma is nearly round, and preceded by a dark dot, it is edt^ed bv a fine dark 

 line ; the outer stigma is largo and ear-shaped, of a pale ashy-brown, with a dusky patch in its hind part ; the 

 space between and behind the stigmata is richer and darker coloured than the rest of the wino-, with a small 

 oval ring immediately behind the anterior stigma. This space is succeeded by a curved row of small, duplicated, 

 crescent-like marks, forming a small arched striga ; and beyond these, towards the apex of the wine, is a pale 

 and very irregular striga, terminating in a large dusky patch on the costa ; the ciliffi rest upon a row of minute 

 black dots; the hind wings arc pale dull buffish-brown, with the veins, central lunule, and margin darker; the 

 apex w'ith a series of small, black, arched lines. 



The caterpillar is brown, speckled with black, with the belly greyish, and the back and sides marked with a 

 pale yellowish longitudinal stripe. It feeds on grasses in the autumn, and the moth appears in June, frequenting 

 woods and gardens. It is an abundant sj)ecies. 



SPECIES 3.— HA.MA TESTACEA. Plate XXXV., Fig. 9. 



Knctna unca^ Hawnrtli (vMriety). 

 Noctua x-notata, II:iwort!i (v;iiiety). 



Synonvmes. — Noctua teslacea, Ilubncr; Stephens; (iiienuc; 

 Wood, Ind. Em. pi. 12, fig. 202. 

 Noctua lunato-striffosa, IlaworUi. 



This species is very v.ariablc both in size and appearance, the fore wings varying from l;^ to more than 1| 



inch in expanse. Tiiey arc generally of a pale reddish or greyish-brown tinge, varied with darker shades, and 



with more or less distinct markings. A pale undulated broken striga is placed before the middle of the wing, 



followed by the two ordinary stigmata, which are irregularly edged with a pale and a brown line, followed by 



a very much curved striga formed of blackish lunules, united together and edged with paler colour ; the hinder 



portion of this striga being connected with the preceding striga, behind the stigmata, by a black mark occupying 



the place of the supplemental stigma, resembling a black hook, producing a black streak ; the apical portion of 



the wing is of a brownish hue, scarcely darker than the rest of the wing, preceded by the pale and much undulated 



slender fourth striga ; the hind wings arc almost white, with a row of slender dusky curved lines along the 



margin. Some specimens .are almost immaculate ; others have the fore wings of a reddish tinge, with an 



X-like central black mark, and an arched striga of black lunules beyond the middle. Such specimens were 



recarded by Mr. Haworth as a distinct species under the name of N. x-notata. The species is very abundant 



and widely dispersed, ajipearing in the perfect state in August and September. 



SPECIES 4.— IIA.MA COXXEXA. Plate aXXV., Fig. 10. 



SvNosv^lEs. — Noctua connexa, Stephens; Borkhausrii ; (Ocli- I jVociua E lota, Huhner; Gueuie; Doublcday. 

 senhcimer?) Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 52, fig. 16G4. I Noctua pabulitricola, Scriha. 



Tiiis species measures I^ inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are elegantly mottled with pale cream 

 grey and brown markings. The base is pale, with several dark patches on the costa ; a black lincola at the base 

 separates the dark portion from the anterior. The centre of the wing is occupied by a large dark-brown fascia, 

 narrowed behind, and edged with pale strigje with geminated darker lines ; on this space is placed the stigmata 

 which are distinct, with the centre darker, and behind them is a dark line connecting the strigas ; the apical 

 portion of the wing is pale grey, the apex being pale brown, and bearing a subapical striga, which is formed of 

 rather large arched spots. The bind wines are brown, with a dusky lunule in the centre, and an indistinct paler 

 bar beyond the middle ; the margin darker. Very rare ; " Linwood, near Barnsley," Mr. Stephens. Boisduval 

 gives Jime as the time of its appearance in the perfect state. 



z 2 



