240 BRITISH MOTHS 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE LIV. 



Insects. — Fig. 1. Eupbasia Catena (the Brixton beauty). 

 '* Fig. 2. Piiytometra asnea (the small purple barred). 



" Fig. 3. Acosmetia lutesceus (the reddish buff). 



'* Fig. 4. Acosmetia Ciiliginosa (the dingy). 



'* Fig. 5. Aeosmetia rufa (the small rufous). 



" Fig. 6. Acosmetia lineola (the lineated rufous). 



*' Fig. 7. Acosmetia arcuosa (the small dotted buff). 



" Fig. 8. Stilhia anomalata (the anomalous). 9. The femaic. 



*' Fig. 10. Ophiusa lusoria (the black neck). 11. The Caterpillar. 



** Fig. 12. Acosmetia Morrisii. 



Euphasia Catena is from the fig. in Mr. Curtis's work ; all the others, with the exception of No. 12, are fiom the cabinet of Mr. Bentley. 



1 have not figured C. ludicra, formerly in the collection of Mr. Swainson, as it is probably not British. Catephia leucomelas, and Catephia 

 trifasciata, I have also omitted, as Mr. E. Doubleday has no doubt that the former is a North American insect, and that the latter was introduced 

 by some mistake of Mr. Kirby's, who thinks he picked one up dead in his garden. H. N. H. 



EUPHASIA, Stephens. ACONTIA, p. Curtis. DESMOPHORA, Steph. Cat. 

 Mr. Stephens lias separated the type of this genus from Acontia, on account of its elongate-lanceolate fore 

 wings, which are very glossy and rounded behind ; the posterior wings rounded, the head broad, palpi short, 

 eyes naked, and body rather elongated. 



SPECIES 1.— EUPHASIA CATENA. Plate LIV., Kiel. 



Synonysies. — Plmlcena catena, Siiwcrby, Brit. Misc. 1, pi. 14, | fi;;. 424 (Desmophora c.) 

 H.iworth ; Curtis, Brit. Ent. 276; Stephens ; Wood, Ind. Eiit. pi. 17, ! Z)firaop/jora efe^ans, Stephens' Cat. 



This species measures ly inch in the expansion of the fore wings, which are white, with a brown and gray 



spot, crossed by three pale lines, near the base and towards the costa, a triangular spot of the same colours in the 



middle of the costa ; and the apical margin is lilac, yellow inwardly, with a row of white dots, with lilac centres, 



forming a chain ; cilia yellowish-lilac ; hind wings white, with the margin slightly brown on the outer angle. A 



single specimen, taken by Mr. Plastead, at Brixton, about forty years since, and now in Mr. Curtis's cabinet, 



is the only authority for the introduction of this fine insect into our indigenous lists. Boisduval regards it as a 



native of America, and as probably belonging to his genus Eudryas. It is omitted by Mr. H. Doubleday from 



his list of British Noctua\ 



ERASTRIA, Och.venheimee, Bdv., Guenee. ACOSMETIA, I., Curtis. 

 This genus has the antennas setaceous and short ; the palpi are elevated, extending beyond the head ; the 

 terminal joint long and naked ; the thorax is not crested ; the abdomen crested in both sexes ; the wings broad, 

 the fore ones with distinct lines and spots. The caterpillars are semi-loopers, witli fourteen feet ; they are 

 elongated and longitudinally striped, and the chrysalides are enclosed in cocoons amongst leaves or moss. 



SPECIES 1.— ERASTRIA FUSCULA. Plate LIII., Fio. 23, 24. 



SvNONVMEs Noclua fuscula, Wicn. Ycrz. ; Orli.; Treitschkc; I PAj/tonieirn/uOTu, Haworth. 



Hiibncr ; Curtis, Brit. Ent., pi. :H5(i ; Stcpliens; Wood, Ind. Ent. Noctua polygramma,E%\)er. 



pi. 17, fig. 42G. I iVociHa jt>7-a'f/«/iC?//rt, Borkbausen. 



This species measures 1 inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a brown colour, varied with 



darker and lighter markings ; on the costa are several pale dots ; the ordinary striga; and stigmata are distinct, 



with dark edge lines ; between the stigmata runs a black streak ; at the anal angle is a large white patch, 



