190 BRITISH MOTHS 



two inches, and being of a pale reddish brovYn colour, with the hind and apical margins silvery ash, with the 

 markings distinct, but not so strong and dark as in P. nebulosa ; the supplemental stigma is dark, and partially 

 edged with a black hook ; the space between the two ordinary stigmata is narrow, with black edgings ; and the 

 subapical striga is marked by three black spots near the costa, in the middle and at the anal angle ; the margin 

 itself, as well as the costa, is spotted with black. The hind wings are brown, with a central lunule, and the 

 margin dusky ; the thorax is asliy, with a reddish crest. The eyes in this species are naked, whereas in the 

 allied species they are pubescent. 



The caterpillar is gray, with black dorsal and ochreous lateral stripes and a waved reddish line above the 

 spiracles. It feeds on Ononis spinosa, and the moth is produced at the end of June and beginning of July. 

 Taken occasionally in the woods of the London district. 



SPECIES 4.— POLIA OCCULTA. Plate XL., Fig. 4, 5. 



SvNONYME. — Phal. Noct. occulta, Linnic-iis ; Hiibner ; Haworth: Curtis, Brit. Eat. pi. 248; Stephens; Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 13, f. 303. 



This species measures nearly 2^ inches in the expanse of the fore wings, which are dusky gray, spotted and 

 freckled with brown ; at the base of the wings is a longitudinal black line, running through the two ordinary 

 waved basal striga?, which are pale-coloured ; the anterior stigma is oval and oblique, and the second large and 

 ear-shaped, with the margin pale and whitish ; behind the former is an oblong oval supplemental stigma, edged 

 with black; beyond the stigma the wings are much mottled in appearance, the third striga being distinct and 

 curved, edged with a wavy whitish line ; the fourth or subapical striga is pale, slender, and very irregular, with 

 several black conical dashes resting on it within ; the costa and apical margin are spotted with black : the hind 

 wings brown, dark along the margin, and with a dusky central lunule. 



The caterpillar is black on the back ; the sides brown, with ochreous longitudinal lines : it feeds on lettuce 

 and dandelion, and is full-grown in Alay. The moth appears in July, 1)ut is rare, although found in \'arious 

 places, as Epping Forest, near Dover, in Cheshire, &c. 



SPECIES 5.— POLIA HERBIDA. Plate XL., Fig. 7, 8. 



Synonymes. — Noctua Herbida^'Wi^Vi, Verz. ; Ilubner; Treitsclike; 

 Godart ; Stephens ; 111. H. 3, pi. 27, f. 3 ; Wood, Ind. Ent. 13, f. '299. 

 Nociiia mixta, Haworth. 



Noctua prasina, Pabr. 

 Noctua egret/ia Esper. 

 Aoctua jaspidea, Borkhausen ; Esper. 



This fine species measures from 1~ to 2 inches in the expanse of the fore wings, which are varied with 

 green and brown ; the green, however, greatly predominating in fresh specimens, as may be perceived by a 

 comparison in our figure with that of Mr. Stephens ; the base of the wing is considerably mottled with whitish ; 

 the second ordinary striga preceding the stigmata being very distinct, and formed of a nearly transverse series of 

 white arches edged with black ; the stigmata are rather large, with the centre reddish brown, edged with white 

 and encircled with black lines ; the supplemental stigma is also distinct : immediately succeeding the ear-shaped 

 stigma is a pale patch, through wliicli runs the third striga, which is black and much waved, edged on both sides 

 with pale, and the fourth striga is very much dentated ; the apical margin with a series of conical black dots ; 

 the hind wings dark brown with the base rather paler. 



The caterpillar is gray on the back, with two black patches on each segment ; the head and sides of the body 

 brown, with dark longitudinal linos, above which is a white line ; the spiracles are also white : it feeds on 

 Cochlearia armoracia. The perfect insect appears in June, but is rare, although widely dispersed, having been 

 taken at Darenth "Wood, Kent ; Lanark, in Scotland, and in Norfolk. 



