AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS. 



199 



SPECIES 12.— ACRONYCTA CUSPIS? 



Synonymes.— A^ocitiO cuspis, Hubner.' Treitschke ; Stephens ; Wood, Ind. Eat, pi. 52, fig. 1666. 



Mr. Stephens notices an insect in Mr. Hatcliett's collection, taken near Dulwicli, which he doubtingly gives 

 as thcA. cuspis; describing it as " very similar to the foregoing, but rather larger, cinereous, with a black, 

 lateral, thoracic line ; anterior wings grayish white, a little tinted with luteous, with a strongly ramose, black 

 lincola at the base, and a powerful, undulated, black, posterior striga, in which are two dark \//-like marks ; the 

 stigmata are nearly as in the last, and the cilia whitish ash, spotted with black : posterior wings whitish, with a 

 dusky central lunule, transverse striga beyond the middle and posterior fimbria." 



BRYOPHILA, OCHSENHEIMER. 



The species of this genus (of which vve only possess two in this country) are distinguished from all the 

 preceding Noctuida- by their small and delicate forms ; the antenna; simple; tlie palpi extending upwards as higli 

 as the forehead, the last joint distinct ; the thorax small ; the abdomen slender and crested ; the wings rather 

 broad, with transverse lines and ordinary markings. The caterpillars are slender, cylindrical, having the body 

 marked with small, sliglitly-pilose tubercles ; they feed on lichens growing on trees and walls, during the night, 

 hiding themselves by day. Both this and the following genera bear an evident affinity to the species of jMiselia. 



SPECIES 1.— BRYOPHILA GLANDIFERA. Plate XLI., Fig. 8, and Plate XLII., Fig. 19. 



Synoxymes. — Noctua glandifera, Wicn. Verz. ; HLibncr ; Ochsenheimer ; Stephens; Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 14, fig. 322. 

 Noctua Lichcnes, Fabricius ; Donovan, 7, pi. 223, fig. 3. 



This species measures from 11 to 14 lines in the e.xpansc of the fore vdngs, which are of a pale green colour, 

 with various black markings edged with white ; the costa has ten or eleven black spots ; at the base of the wing 

 within is a black semicircular lino ; the anterior stigma is brown, and commmunicates with a patch behind it of 

 the same colour, being also edged with black lines, of which there are two short ones between the stigmata ; the 

 outer stigma is small and brown, followed by a curved, slender, white striga, edged within with black dots, and 

 followed by a brown cloud ; the subapical striga indicated by a black catenated line, bearing two conical patclies ; 

 the cilia is spotted with black. The hind wings brown, with white cilia;. The species is, however, very variable, 

 some specimens having all the black markings almost obliterated, and the hind wings of a paler colour. Others, 

 also, differ in the ground colour of the wing being whitish, or even dirty buff or reddish. 



The caterpillar is of a buff brown, with black spots and a pale line down the back. It feeds on lichens, and 

 the moth appears at the end of June, July, and beginning of August, and is an abundant species. 



SPECIES 2— BRYOPHILA PERLA. Plate XLI., Fig. 10. 

 Symonymes. — Noctua perla, Wien. Vcrz. ; Hubner; Hawoi-tli ; Ochsciiljeimcr ; Stephens; Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 14, fig. 323. 



Nociua glandifera, Boikliauscn. 



This species is smaller than the preceding, not measuring more than 1 inch in the e.xpanse of the fore wings, 

 which are of a pale ashy white, with darker spots and blackish markings ; the anterior striga is much angulated, 

 inclosing a dark basal patch ; the second striga is a slender black dentated transverse line, followed by a large 

 dusky patch representing the anterior and supplemental stigma ; tlie former being round and partially edged 

 with white. The posterior stigma forms a similar but smaller patch, beyond which is a much elbowed and 

 dentated black line representing the third striga ; the subapical one consisting of a few black dots. Cilia 

 slightly spotted with brown at the base. 



