Ig4 BRITISH MOTHS 



ACTEBIA, Stephens. (HAPALIA, Hb. Curt.) 

 The head, in the insect, which is the typo of this genus, is thickly squamose ; the thorax scarcely crested ; 

 the antenna ciliated beneath in the males ; the palpi short, with the terminal joint exposed and obtuse ; the 

 fore wings are narrow and truncated, the caterpillars naked and smooth, and the chrysalis subterranean. Bois- 

 duval places the typical species in his genus Spselotis, and Guenee in Agrotis ! 



SPECIES I.— ACTEBIA PRiECOX. Plate XXXIX., Fig. 5. 



SvNoNYMEs. — Phal. Noel, priccox, Liun. ; Ilaworth ; Donovan, I pi. 13, fig. 288. 

 6, pi. 213 ; Curtis, Brit. Ent., pi. 539; Stephens ; Wood, Ind. Ent. I Noctua prteceps, Hiibnei. 



This handsome species measures about ly inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a brownish- 

 crreen colour, with paler irrorations ; the costa is spotted with small black and white dots ; the first and second 

 strigai are distinct, pale, and much waved, edged with black denticulations ; between them is a pale dot ; the 

 anterior stigma is roundish, with the centre reddish-brown edged with black, behind which is the oval 

 supplemental stigma, partly edged with black ; the outer stigma is large and ear-shaped, with greenish and 

 black markings ; between the stigmata is occasionally a brownish waved cloud ; the pale-waved subapical 

 striga is preceded by a wide purplish red stripe, interrupted by a white blotch on the costa ; the extreme apex 

 with a row of black dots ; the hind wings are fulvous-brown. 



The late Captain Blomer found tlie larv;e feeding on Galium varum, growing on the sand-hills at Appledorc 

 Burrows, and Dawlish Warren (where it has since been taken by W. R. H. Jordan, Esq.), at the end of May, 

 and who communicated a figure of one full grown to Mr. Curtis. The back is fulvous, with a slender white longi- 

 tudinal stripe, irregularly edged with black ; the sides of the body grey, with numerous black spots ; the head 

 pale brown, with white and black markings ; and the neck grey. The moths appeared in the following August. 

 It is a rare species, and was first found by the Duchess of Portland (who was a great collector of insects) in the 

 Island of Portland. It has also been found on the sea-shore of Ireland, and in the north of England. 



ACHATIA, HuBNEE. (Trachea, Ochs., Bdv., & Guen.) 

 The only species included in this genus has the .antennaj serrated beneath in the males ; the head nearly 

 concealed ; the labial palpi very hairy, porrected horizontally, almost concealed, with the terminal joint scarcely 

 distinct ; the thorax is very densely hairy ; the abdomen is short and thick ; the fore wings obtuse and 

 beautifully marked. The caterpillar is smooth and naked, of a green colour, with pale longitudinal stripes. It 

 feeds on pine-trees, occasionally doing very great mischief. The genus is scarcely naturally located in its present 

 situation. 



SPECIES 1.— ACHATIA SPRETA. Plate XXXIX., Fig. 3, 4. 



SvNONYMEs. — Bombyx spreta,F:iht'mua; Panzer; Curtis, Brit. I fhalmna Noctita Pini, ViUeie. 

 Ent., pi. 117, Noctuu flammca, Wien. Verz. ; Fabncius ; HUbuer. 



Noctiia piniperdat Kob ; Esper; Stephens; Wood, Ind. Ent., Noctua ochroleucay Hiibncr (Variety), 



pi. 13, fig. 2S7. I 



This beautiful species measures from 14- to \h inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a fine 



ochre colour, varied with rich red or chesnut. The two basal striga3 are almost obsolete, the first occasionally 



appearing as an abbreviated pale transverse line ; the stigmata are distinct and large, the anterior rather square 



and yellowish ; the outer one oblique, with the centre ochraceuus, followed by a much waved and denticulated 



