176 



BRITISH MOTHS 



with the rudiments of the ordinary striga. The anterior stigma is edged with a dark black ring, liaving a minute 

 pale speck at its base, and behind it is the rudimental supplemental stigma ; the posterior stigma is large and 

 ear-shaped, of a pure white colour, the centre marked with a fulvous luni-lc, the costa in front of it bearing a 

 yellowish patch. The subapical striga consists of a waved row of small interrupted dots, each bearing a black 

 wedge-shaped luark on the inside ; the margin itself bears a series of V)lack dots ; the hind wings are dirty 

 ashy-coloured at the base ; the margin broadly dusky, as well as a central spot and the nervures, with a pale 

 subapical striga ; the cilia pale. 



The caterpillar is variable in its colours, being sometimes pale livid brown, with dark green markings, or 

 greenish, with darker markings ; it has a white dorsal line, and the extremity of the body is angulated above ; 

 it feeds on elder, dwarf sun-flowers, marigolds, &c., in the autumn, and the moth, which is extremely common, 

 appears in June. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XXXVII. 



Insects. — Fig. 1. Apaiuea Fibros.i, male (tlie crescent). 2. A female variety. 

 " Fig. 3. Apamea Nictitans (the golden ear). 4. A dark variety. 



'* Fig. 5. Apamea Unanimis (the unifonu rustic). 



** Fig. 6. Apamea Seculina (the small clouded brindle). 



" Fig. 7. Apamea Oculea (the common rustic). 8 and 9. Common varieties. 



" Fig. 10. Apamea Opliiogramma (the double-lnbed). 



Plant. — Fig. 11. Iris fa-tidissima (the fwtid Iris). 



A. Uuaniaiis, Nictitans, and Oculea and varieties, are frora the cahinct of Mr. H, Doubleday. A. Scculina and A. Opliiogramma are from 

 specimens in the British ]\Iuscum ; and the varieties of A. Fibrosa from the cabinet of Mr. Bentley. 



The banded variety of A. Fibrosa occurs both in the male and female, and there are some differences of character which seem almost sufficient 

 to make it a distinct species ; one of which may be observed in the fringe of the anterior wings, which in the banded variety is very narrow, and 

 of a pale cream colour, whilst in the other it is much broader and brown. However, as every intermediate gradation, from those having a light 

 band, to those that are entirely destitute of it, are occasionally found, it appears impossible to consider them distinct. 



I am unable to give the caterpillars of any of these insects, or those in the succeeding plate, from an authentic source, and therefore hope that 

 some of our subscribers in favourable localities will endeavour to collect some and forward them to us for the purpose of being figured in a 

 supplemental plate. II. N. H. _ , 



APAMEA, Treitschke, Guexee, (et HYDR.'ECIA, Guex.). 

 The species of which this genus is composed are of a moderate size, and generally of very dusky colours ; the 

 fore wings with the apical margin slightly denticulated, and witli the posterior stigma very conspicuous ; the 

 autonnaj are filiform or slightly crenulated in the males ; the palpi scarcely extend beyond the head, and are 

 but little elevated ; the terminal joint short and naked ; the thorax with a small bifid crest behind the collar, 

 and another at the hind part, where it is united to the abdomen ; the head has a thick tuft of scales on the crown, 

 and the abdomen is tufted down the back ; the caterpillars are smooth, naked, cylindrical, with a moderately 

 large head ; they are pale-coloured, and longitudinally striped ; they feed upon low jilants and grasses, and form 

 slight cocoons of leaves or moss on the surface of the ground, when about to undergo their transformations ; other 

 species descend into the ground. They are festival in their appearance in the perfect state. 



SPECIES 1.— APAMEA FIBROSA. Plate XXXVII., Fig. 1, 2. 



Synonymes. — Noctua fibrosa, Hiibner ; Stephens; Guecice ; i Noctna ltmina,'ila,v:orlh. 

 Doubleday ; Wood, lud. Fnt. pi. 12, fig. 203. ( Nuctua leucoslii/nui, Hiibner ; Ochsenheimer (variety). 



This is the largest species of the genus, dififering also from the other species in several respects, whence 



Gueuee makes it the type of his separate genus Hydrtecia ; the expansion of the fore wings varies from 1 ^ to 



