210 BRITISH MOTHS 



Synonymes Noctua aurago, Wien. Veiz ; Fahricius; Htibner; 



Haworth ; Stephens; Wood, Inil. Ent. pi. 15, fig. 348; Boisduval ; 

 Ou^nte ; Doublcdav. 



SPECIES 3.— XANTHIA AURAGO. Plate XLV., Fig. 5. 



Noctua prtEte.rta, Eepcr. 



Noctua fucata, Esper. 



Noctua rutilago, Boikliausen (irariet}'). 



This species measures 1^ to 1-i, inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are varied with reddish-brown, 

 reddish orange, and yellow colours, and but little clouded, the four ordinary fascite being represented by so 

 many narrow yellow bars, of which that preceding the stigmata forms the trilobed margin of the dusky space 

 between it and the first striga, whilst that beyond the stigmata is very much angulated, and followed by a darker 

 colour through which runs the spotted waved subapical striga, dilated at the apex of the costa; the characteristic 

 portion of the wing is orange red or bright orange, which is also the colour of the stigmata, the anterior of which 

 is subannular, and the outer one marked at the base with a red cloud. The hind w'ngs are pale yellovrish 

 red, with a darker border. The caterpillar is gray, with oblique brovfn marks. It feeds on sallow and willow. 

 The moth appears from August to October. 



SPECIES 4.— XANTHIA CITRAGO. Plate XLV., Fig. 7, 8. 



Synonymes. — PhaliBna, Noctua citrago, hinnxus; Hiibner ; Haworth; Trcitschke ; Boisduval; Stephens; Wood, lud. Ent. pi. 15, 



fig. 350. Wilkes, pi. 8, (lai-pa). 



This species measures from l^^ to 1| inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a clay-yellow colour, 



thickly irrorated with red scales, with four slender dark oblique strigce crossing the wings, two preceding the 



stigmata, the third running between the stigmata, the fourth behind the outer stigma ; there is likewise a 



subapical but almost indistinct striga formed of pale lunules bordered with darker lines ; the stigmata are large, 



but chiefly indicated by their dusky outline ; the hind wings are whitish clay-coloured. The caterpillar is 



reddish -brown, with pale longitudinal lines, and dotted with white, each segment having two oblong black spots 



on each side. It feeds on the lime, and the moth appears in August and September. It is an uncommon species. 



The larvae were often taken by Mr. Blunt, in Epping Forest, near Walthamstow. 



SPECIES .5— XANTHIA CENTRAGO. Plate XLV., Fig. 6. 



.Synonymes. — Noctua centrago, Hawortli ; Curtis, Brit. Ent. I Noctna a^erompeliiia, Hiibner (nee. Espcr) ; Boisduval. 

 pi. 84 ; Stephens; Wood, Ind. Ent. pi. 1.5, fig. 349. i CirrcEifia .veriimpeUna, Guenue ; Doubleday. 



This very distinct species measures 14- to l-Ar inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a rich 

 orantre colour, with several minute black lines on the costa ; the characteristic portion of the wing is occupied by 

 a red-brown bar, broadest towards the costa, where it becomes obsolete, terminating in a rounded lobe in the 

 space ordinarily occurring between the stigmata, vphicli are obsolete. The apical margin is also occupied by a 

 bar of the same colour, which does not extend to the costa. Tlie apex itself is acute, and the apical margin 

 crenated, with the middle rather angulated ; the hind wings are pale whitish, with slight reddish-yellow margins. 

 This very rare species is widely dispersed, having been taken in the north of England, Norfolk, Dorsetshire, &c. 

 The caterpillar, as described by M. Daube in the Iconographie des Chenilles, is cylindric, rather short, with a 

 small subglobose head, and with the extremities of the body slightly setose. It feeds on low plants. It is on 

 account of the differences in the form of the wings, palpi, markings, &c. of the perfect insect as well as in the 

 larva state, that M. Guenee has formed this insect into a distinct genus under the name of Cirrsedia, which he 

 places between Xanthia and our Cosniife (Euperiee Guen). 



Obs. — Xanthia fimbriago Steph. ; Wood, pi. 15, 351, is omitted, as we are informed by Mr. Doubleday 

 tiiat it is an American species. 



