172 BRITISH MOTHS 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXXVI. 



Insects. — Fig. 1. Mamcstra furva (the dusky brocade). 



" Fig. 2. Rlamestra Pisi (the hroom moth). 3. The Catcvpillar. 



" Fig. 4. Mamcstra oleracea (the bright line brown eye). 5. The Caterpillar, 



** Fig. G. Mamcstra auasa (the dog's tooth). 



*' Fig. 7. Mamcstra nigricans (the dusky nutmeg). 



'•'■ Fig. 8. Mamesta Brassicas (the cabbage). 9. The Caterpillar. 



*' Fig. 10. Mamcstra alhicolon (the white colon). 



" Fig. 11. Mamestra Persicaiiic (the dot). 12. The Caterpillar. 



*' Fig. 13. Mamestra Chenopodii (the nutmeg). 14. The Caterpillar. 



** Fig. 15. Mamestra Anceps? (the doubtful nutmeg). 



Plants. — Fig. IG. Lathyrus nissolia (the crimson Vetch). 



" Fig. 17. Polygouuni Pcrsicaria (common Persicaria). 



The whole of the moths figured in this plate are from specimens sent me by Mr. H. Doublcday, with the exception of M. suasa from the 

 male specimen in the British Museum, aud M. nigracans and I\I. anceps ? from the cabinet of Mr. Stephens, who considers that the latter 

 insect, taken by himself a short time since, must be the Anceps of Duponchel. The caterpillars are from HUbner, with the exception of 

 M. Persicariae, from a specimen taken in the garden of Mr. Westwood, and M. Oleracea from a specimen taken in Yorkshire, and kindly 

 forwarded to me for the purpose of being figured in this work by Mr. H. Doubleday II. N. II. 



MAMESTRA, Ochsenheimer. HADENA, pars. Bdv., Gu^n. 

 The species] of this group (as M. Guenee lias clearly shown in the " Annalcs do la Societe de France," 

 1838, p. 24i,) can scarcely be separated in a natural distribution of the family from the Iladenre, which like 

 them have the W-like mark on the subapical striga of the fore wings. The species are, for the most part, of 

 large size, and of dark colours. The fore wings have the apex slightly denticulated ; the terminal joint of the 

 palpi is very small ; the antennas are simple in both sexes ; the forehead densely crested ; the thorax with a bifid 

 crest on the back. The caterpillars are smooth and varied in their colours. The majority of tliem feed on low 

 plants, concealing themselves by day. 



SPECIES 1.— MAMESTRA FURVA. Plate XXXVI., Fig. ]. 



SvNoNVMEs. — Nocttia furva, 'Wien.Ycn.; HUbner; Treitsclike ; Stejiliens ; Wood, Ind. Eut. pi. 12, fig. 249. 

 This species measures about li inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which arc of an obscure brown colour, 

 with ashy and fulvescent shades. The ordinary strigfe are distinct and pale, with dark edgings, except the subapical 

 one, which is merely a pale line on a dark ground, very much undulated, especially in the middle ; the stigmata 

 are distinct but dusky, with a dark edging ; the margin has a row of black dots, followed by a pale line ; the 

 cilice alternately brown and ochreous ; the hind wings are ashy brown at the base, with the margin considerably 

 darker as well as the nervures, and a central lunule. Found, but not very abundantly, in the woods round 

 London ; also in Yorkshire and Sussex, and lately at Epping by Mr. H. Doubleday. 



SPECIES 2.— MAMESTRA PISI. Plate XXXVI., Fig. 2, 3. 



SvNONYMKs. — PJial. Noct. Pisi, Linn. ; Donovan 2, pi. 52 ; Hawortli ; 'Wilkes, pi. 7 ; Albin, pi. 32, fig. 51, c — f ; Ochsenheimer ; 



Treitschke ; Stephens ; Wood, lud. Ent. pi. 12, fij;. 250. 



This handsome species measures rather more than 1^ inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a 

 brownish red colour, clouded with rather darker tints, especially across the middle of the wing ; the stigmata 

 and ordinary strigai are present, but almost concolorous with the rest of the wing, except the subapical one, 

 which is white and very much angulated, especially towards the posterior angle, where it is dilated ; beyond 



