232 BRITISH MOTHS 



SPECIES 4.— PLUSIA BIMACULATA. Plate LI., Fig. 5. 



Synonymes. — Plusia b'nnacitlata, Stephens ; Wood, Ind. Ent., I Plusia Iota, (vurielv) Curtis, 

 pi. 16, fig. 399. I Noctua inscripla, Stcplicus's Cat. ncc. Esper. 



This species measures 1^ incli in the expanse of the fore wings, which are " varied with fuscous-brown and 



ferruginous, with a biundulated golden striga at the base, enclosing a black spot ; then another, similarly-coloured, 



before tlie stigmata, much angulatcd at the origin on the costa, and waved interiorly, followed behind the 



stigmata by an obscure, crenulated bent one, without metallic ornament ; stigmata very obsolete, without golden 



edges ; on the disc are two large bright golden spots ; the anterior emarginatod towards the base, and rounded 



posteriorly ; the hinder triangular-ovate ; between the anterior one and the co.sta is a faint golden lunule, as 



in PI. Iota : hind wings reddish ash, with a central lunule, an oblique striga, and the hinder margin and nervures 



dusky." A single specimen of this species is in the unrivalled collection of J. F. Stephens, Esq. (who.se de.scription 



we have quoted .above) but its localit}' is unknown. Mr. Curtis regarded it as a probable variety of PI. Iota, 



whilst Mr. H. Doubleday has omitted it from the list of British Noctuaj, considering it, as he informs me, as an 



apparently North American species. 



SPECIES 5.— PLUSIA INTERROGATIONIS. Plate LI., Fig. 0. 



pi. 16,;fig: 400. 



PhaJ(Bna auro-signata, Donovan, 13,'pl. 453. 

 Woctua tBmiila, Borkbauscn. 



Synonymb;s. — Phulana Noctua interrogationis, Linnseus ; Fa- 

 bricius; Hubner; Haworth ; Harris E.\positioD, plate 5, fig. 3; 

 Treitscbke; Boisduval ; Duponchel ; Stephens, Wood, Ind. Ent. 



This species measures from 1;^ to nearly 1^ inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are slaty-gray, 

 elegantly varied with ashy and brown (occasionally purplish) colours, with a silver V-liko mark, and a small 

 dot in the middle of the disk ; the ordinary strigre are distinct ; the basal one abbreviated, with a black dot 

 adjacent to its extremity ; the second striga is geminated, black, slender, and much waved ; the Anterior stigma 

 is not very distinct ; the outer one deeply eraarginate on the outside; the third striga is also geminated and 

 bidentate behind the silver character ; and the apex of the wing bears a fourth dentate striga, and is of a dark 

 ashy colour ; the hind wings are dark gray-brown, with a broad deep margin. The moth appears in June and 

 July, and is evidently an alpine and northern species, being rarely found further south than Yorkshire ; although 

 not rare on the moors in the northern parts of the country. 



SPECIES 6.— PLUSIA GAMMA. Plate LL, Fig. 7, 8. 

 Synonyme?. — Phalwna Noctua Gamma, Linnxus ; Fabricius ; Hubner ; Treitscbke ; Donovan, 8, pb 255, fig. 2 ; Albin, pi. 79, fig. e — h ; 



"Wilkes, plate CO. 



This species measures from li to 1 J inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are very glossy, and of an 

 ashy gray, with dark rich brown markings, especially a large patch in the centre of the disk, on which is placed 

 a silver spot, resembling the Greek letter gamma ; the basal striga is slender, pale, and abbreviated, with a 

 browu mark on each side, and terminating in a sm.all black dot. The second striga is geminated and very much 

 bent ; the anterior stigma is very oblique, with a pale margin, and extending to the costa j the outer stigma 

 also oblique, but in the opposite direction, surrounded by a very fine silvery line, and very deeply incised on the 

 middle of the outer margin ; the third striga is also very slender, irregular, and geminated ; and the apical 

 portion of the wing is much variegated, especially with a large pale patch at the anal angle; the hind wings are 

 grayish-brown, with dark veins, and a broad margin of deep brown ; the ciliaj of all the wings spotted witli 

 black. There is a curious white scale-like apparatus at the base of the abdomen on each side, which does not 

 .ippear to have been noticed. The caterpillar is pale gray, with whitish and yellowish lines down the back and 

 sides. It is polyphagous. The moth appears from jMay to October, and is one of the most abundant of the 

 family. It is a widely-dispersed and very common insect, and is often to bo seen hovering over flowers during 

 the day-time, flying off with the greatest rapidity when approached. 



