AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS. 1(^3 



Insects. — Fiji. 6. Trachea atriplicis (the wild arrach). 7. The Caterpillar. 



" Fig. 8. Valeria olcagina (the grecu brindled dot). 9. The Caterpillar. 



'* Fig, 10. Misclia bimaculosa (the houlde spot brocade). 



" Fig. 11. Misclia templi (the brindled ochre). 



" Fig. la. Misclia oxy.ioanth£e (the green brindled crescent). 



" Fig. 13. Miselia aprilina (the marvel du jour). 14. The Caterpillar. 



*' Fig. 15. Misclia compta (the marbled coronet). 



" Fig. 16. Miselia albimacula (the white spotted coronet). 



Plants. — Fig. 17. Erica tctrali.i; (the cross-leaved heath). 



Ftgs. 1, 3, 5, C, 8, 10, 15, and IG, arc from specimens in the Rritish Museum ; 11 is from a specimen in the cabinet of Mr. Bentley, and 

 12 and 13 are from specimens furnished me by Mr. 11. noublcday. There is a dark variety of M. 0.vyacanth!e, which, however, 1 have not 

 thought necessary to add to this plate, as the remarkable serpentine white line near the posterior angle of the fore wing is alwavs sufficiently 

 clear to identify the species ; indeed all the other markings remain perfectly defined, though the general deep brown colour, and the absence of 

 the glittering green scales, or some of the principal nervurcs, give it a different aspect at a first glance. 



The caterpillars are all from lUibner. H. N. II. 



LYCOPHOTIA, HunvKK. (SCOTOPHILA, SxErn. nec Boisd.) 



The species upon wliich tliis genus is founded has been much misunderstood as to its natural relations. By 

 several modern authors it has been united with Achatia spreta (jiiniperda Kob), from which it was generically 

 separated by Mr. Stephens. By Boisduval it is united, together witli A. rectangula, plecta,' musciva, and some 

 others, into a genus under the name of Chersotis ; whilst Guenee introduces it into his genus Noctua, 

 corresponding, for the most part, with our genus Graphiphora ; and it is impo.ssible, on comparing our figures of 

 the larva; of these groups, not to be convinced (hat it is certainly allied to the Hadenre and GrapliiphorEe. As 

 there is much discrepancy in the employment of the generic name Scotophila, by Hiibner, Boisduval, and Stephens, 

 the name having been taken from a species (Noctua livida, Fab. ; N. scotophila, Esper, which ought to be 

 retained for its type), I have employed Hiibner's name, Lycophotia. The thorax is not crested ; the antenuje 

 of the males are slightly pectinated ; the wings are entire and deflexed ; and the palpi with the basal joints clothed 

 with long scales, and the terminal joint naked and subacute. The caterpillar feeds upon lieath, and the 

 chrysalis is enclosed in cocoons of earth and dry leaves, at tlie foot of the plant on wliich the caterpillar fed. 



SPECIES 1.— LYCOPHOTI.Y PORPHYREA. Plate XXXIX., Fig. 1, 2. 



Noctua birivia, Borkhausen. 

 Ph. Nod. varia, Villers. 



Noctua Erica, Donovan, vol. x., pi. 3fi0, lig. 1 ; Haworth ; Harris 

 E.tpos. pi. 5., f. 5. 



SvNONYMEs — Noctua porpkyrea,V\"\cn. Vcrz.; Hiibner; Stephens ; 

 Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 13, fig. '280. 

 Noctua picla, Fabricius. 

 Noctua concinna, Esper. 

 Noctua lepida, Esper. ' 



This species measures rather more or less than an inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a 



reddish ash-colour, clouded with blackish ; the costa with alternate black and wliite dots ; near the base of the 



wing is an undulated white striga, edged with black, bearing several short whitish dashes ; the anterior stigma 



is small, round, and white ; the outer one kidney-shaped and greyish, with a wliite border ; there is also a 



teliform, supplemental, cinereous- coloured stigma, edged with black; the third striga is white, very much arched, 



and dentated with another series of white dashes next the apical margin, which has a row of black dots ; the 



ciliaj are rufescent ; the hind wings are ashy, with a marginal row of black dots. The caterpillar is brownish buft'. 



with longitudinal dusky lines at the sides, and pale diamond-shaped spots edged with dusky lines on the back. 



The perfect insect is found on heaths at the end of July, but is not common. 



