AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS. }9I 



SPECIES 6.— POLIA POLYMITA ? 



SvHONVMES.— PA. Noct. Poli/mita, Linnxus ? Oclisenlcimer, Treitscbke, Stephens, 111. H. 3, pL 26, fig. 2 ; AYood Ind. Ent. pi. 13, f. 300. 



Noclua ridens (Polymita) Hubner. 

 As tlie unique * British specimen of this supposed species (which was described and figured by Mr. Stephens 

 from the Vigorsian Cabinet, now belonging to the Zoological Society) is, as I am informed, no longer contained 

 in that collection, lam under the necessity of giving the following abstract from Mr. Stephens's description, 

 who, however, doubts its identity with the Linnsean Polymita, although it seems to agree with his concise 

 definition of that insect, although not exactly with the figure in Engramelle, referred to by Treitschke. The 

 expansion of the fore wings is 1 f inch, with the base and apex cinerescent, the centre greenish brown, forming 

 a fascia of that colour bearing the stigmata, and bounded anteriorly by an oblique crenated white striga, margined 

 externally with black, and exteriorly by a strongly dentate or angulated one, edged anteriorly with black; 

 towards the hinder (apical) margin is a waved fuscous cloud and an apical crenated black line; the posterior 

 stigma is large and rather irregular, and clouded with ashy ; hind wings dusky, with an obsolete crenated dark 

 striga beyond the middle. 



SPECIES 7.— POLIA FLAVOCINCTA. Plate XL., Fig. 9, ]0. 



Synonymes. — Noctua Jiavocincta^ Wien. Verz. ; Fabr. ; Ocbsen- 

 hcimcr, Treitscbke, Donovan, vol. x., pi. 334 ; HawortU; Wilkes 7, 

 plate 14, fig. sup.; Stepbeus, Wood, Ind, Ent. pi. 13, fig. 302. 



Phal. Noctua tricolor, Villers. 

 Noclua dysodea, Bovkbavisen. 

 Noctua flavucincia major, Espei 



This species measures about 1| inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of ,an obscure whitish colour, 

 slightly mottled with brown, and with the characteristic marks edged with fulvous ; those towards the base of 

 the wing are very obscurely indicated ; the anterior stigma is rather square, and edged before and behind with 

 fulvous, and behind it is all that exists of the second ordinary striga, which is slender, black, much dentated ; 

 the second stigma is large, and also similarly edged with fulvous ; the space between and behind them being 

 dusky. The third ordinary striga consists of a very much curved and dentated dusky line, or rather a 

 succession of arches, and the fourth striga consists of a series of indistinct dusky blotches edged with fulvous 

 towards the apical margin. The hind wings have a slight dusky crenated striga bfyond the middle, and an 

 ashy border. The caterpillar is green, with a yellow stripe down the back, and a pale longitudinal line above 

 the feet. It feeds on lettuce, dock, currant, &c. The perfect insect appears in August and September, and 

 is a rather common species. Boisduval introduces this into his genus Polia ; as distinct from his Aplectse 

 (nebulosa, tincta, &o.). Our figures of the caterpillars show a sufficient discrepancy to warrant at least the 

 formation of distinct sections in the genus for their reception. 



SPECIES 8.— POLIA DYSODEA. Plate XL., Fig. 11, 12. 



Synonymes. — Noctua dysodea, A\'ien, Verz.; Hubner; Treit- 

 schke; Stephens; Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 14, fig. 305; Wilkes 7, 

 pi. 14, fig. inf. 



Noctua ranunculina, Haworth. 



Noctua chrysozoiia, BorkLausen. 

 Noctua flavocincta minor, Esper. 

 Noctua spinacia, Vieweg. 

 Ph. Noctua ornata, Villars. 



The expansion of the fore wings is about li inch ; they are of ashy white colour, the central characteristic 

 part of the wing being much darker, and considerably more angulated iu its outline, tlian in P. flavocincta ; the 

 basal striga is, however, whitish, and preceded by a black and fulvous stripe ; the second striga is extended to 

 the costa, and much sinuated, especially behind ; the stigmata are rather indistinct, but bordered before and 

 behind with dusky and fulvous stripes, which extend to the costa ; the third striga consists of a very much. 



* Jlr. Wood mentions the species as existing in tl.o collections of Mr. Stephens and Mr. Vigors. 



