192 BRITISH MOTHS 



ano-ulated series of slender black arches, and the apical portion of the wing is mottled with whitish and pale 

 brown, with a slightly distinct fulvous subapical striga ; the hind wings are ashy with a brown margin. 



Mr. Ilaworth suggests that this and the allied species have derived their common name of Ranunculus moths 

 from a fancied resemblance in some of their markings to the double Ranunculus flower, especially the radiated 

 mark near the posterior stigma. The caterpillar is dark green, or greenish brown, with a pale longitudinal line 

 above the feet. It feeds on lettuce, wormwood, &c. The moth, which is rather abundant, appears in July. 



SPECIES 0.— POLIA SERENA. Plate XL., Fio. 1.3, 14. 



.SYNONyniEs. — Noctua serena^ \A'ien. Verz. ; Fabricius ; Hubnor ; Noctna bicohrnta, Ilufiiagle, 



Hawoith ; Treitschke ; Stepliens ; AVood, Ind. Ent-, pi. 14, fig. 30(j. 

 Noctua bicolor, Naturforsclier, 9, 137. 



Pit. Noct. Par., Douovan, vol. X. pi. 338, f. 3 ; Harris Exp., 

 pi. 4, f. 8. 



This beautiful but common insect measures about \\ inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are white, 

 with the central characteristic part rich brown or ochraccous, or deep brown varied with black marks ; the basal 

 striga is interrupted, consisting of an angulated black line, preceded by a brownish patch at the base ; the secoiid 

 striga is slightly waved .and white, bordered before with a dusky line, .and behind by the black edge of the 

 central dark bar. The stigmata are brown, with the margin white ; the third striga resembles the second, but is 

 much curved and formed of a series of white arches edged as in the second striga. Towards the apex on the 

 costa (which is throughout varied with dark spots) is a triangular dusky patch; the apical portion of the wing 

 is almost white, or occasionally more mottled, the sti'iga being only very slightly indicated ; there are. however, 

 two more conspicuous dusky spots above the middle towards the margin. The apex is formed by a pale brown 

 sinuated line, and the cilia is spotted with white and brown ; the hind wings are brown, with the base pale. 



The cater]iillar is dark green, with dark patches on the back, and a pale line above the feet. It feeds on 

 Leontodon hispidum, Sonchus palustris, &c. ; and the moth, which is an abundant species, is found in .lune, on 

 shady palings and trunks of trees. 



SPECIES 10.— POLIA CHI. Plate XL., Fig. lo. 



Synonymes. — Ph. Noctua Chi., Linnnnis ; Ilubner; Hawortb ; Donovan, vol. 12, pi. 40G; -Vlbin, pi. 83, fig. C. D. ; Stepbcng ; Wood, 

 Ind. Ent. jil. 14, fig. 308. PoHa oliiiacea, .Stephens (varietv). 



This species measures nearly I^ inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a whitish-gray colour 

 clouded with ashy or fulvous brown, and marked towards the middle with a black Greek x- The basal strigae 

 are almost lost in the clouding of this part of the wing ; the ordinary stigmata are pale, the centre being only 

 slightly rufescent, the space between and behind them is somewhat darker than the rest of the wing, and it is 

 on this part th.at the Greek ch.aractcr is found, connecting in fact the second and third striga3, which latter 

 consists of a curved series of white arches, edged with slender brown lines; tlie apical striga is almost indistinct, 

 being chiefly indicated by the black or blackish dashes which rest upon it within. The liind wings are nearly 

 white, with a central dusky lunule and a subapical irregular dusky striga. 



Pulia olimcea, described by Mr. Stephens in the appendi.x to the .3rd volume of his Illustrations as measur- 

 ing ly inch in the exp.anse of the fore wings, and of a green olive colour, with four denticulated white strigas 

 and black m.arkings ; the stigmata faintly bordered with black and white, and the cilia; ashy white, with 

 olivaceous spots, and taken at Cramond, near Edinburgh, by Mr. Little ; has subsequently been considered as a 

 variety of P. Chi. (111. II. 4, p. 389.) 



The caterpillar is green, with two white lines on the sides ; it feeds on Lactuca sativ.a, Sonchus oleraceus, 

 Aquilegia vulgaris, Arctium lappa, &c. ; and the moth appears in July. It appears to be an abundant 

 species in the northern counties of England. 



