plusia] PLUSIADAE 157 



3. P. orichalcea, F. (chryson, Esp.) 41-45 mm. Head and 

 collar orange. Forcwings purplish -fuscous j first line dark 

 fuscous; a large irregular shining brassy blotch above middle 

 posteriorly, and a broad suffused deep golden-brown blotch 

 connecting this with dorsum ; second line traversing these, on 

 former deep golden, on latter pale purplish towards dorsum, 

 llindwings fuscous, darker posteriorly. 



England to Lancashire, local ; C. Europe, N. and WC. Asia ; 

 7, 8. Larva green ; dorsal line darker, white-edged ; lateral 

 series of oblique white streaks ; spiracles white : on Eupa- 

 torium ; 6, 7. 



4. P. bractea, F. 38-44 mm. Mead and collar reddish- 

 ochreous. Forcwings purplish-fuscous, with darker strigulae ; 

 first, median, and second lines indistinctly darker; dorsal $ of 

 median band ferruginous-brown, enclosing an oblique triangular 

 shining pale brassy blotch in middle of disc ; a ferruginous 

 subterminal suffusion, deepest towards costa. Hindwings pale 

 dull fuscous-yellowish ; a rather dark fuscous terminal band. 



Caermarthcn and Worcester to ltoss, Ireland, local ; N. and 

 C. Europe, N. Asia ; 7, 8. Larva pale green ; dorsal and 

 spiraoular lines white; head pale green, brown-marked: on 

 Eupatorium and Urtica ; 5, 6. 



5. P. festucae, L. 31-36 mm. Head orange. Forcwings 

 ferruginous-brown, lighter and more ferruginous dorsally ; a 

 pale brassy ,ppot at base of costa ; lines darker, first posteriorly 

 silvery-edged towards dorsum ; a large trapezoidal spot in disc 

 before middle, a smaller subtriangular spot beyond it, and an 

 irregular suffused spot towards termen beneath apex shining 

 white, brassy-tinged. Hindwings fuscous, lighter anteriorly. 



Britain to Ross, Ireland, in marshy places, rather local ; N. 

 and C. Europe, N. Asia ; 8. Larva green ; dorsal line darker, 

 white-edged ; subdorsal and lateral white ; spiracular yellow ; 

 head green : on grasses, Carex, and Typha ; 5-7. 



6. P. iota, L. 34-42 mm. Forewings light dull rosy, with 

 some fuscous strigulae ; a median basal and five costal spots 

 brown ; first and second lines brown-edged, nearly straight ; 

 dorsal f of median band ferruginous-brown ; a small V-shaped 

 discal spot before middle, and small round spot immediately 

 beyond it pale golden ; rcniform partly brownish-edged ; sub- 

 terminal line suffuscdly margined with brown except towards 

 tornus posteriorly. llindwings light fuscous; a dark fuscous 

 terminal band. 



Britain to the Orkneys, Ireland, common ; N. and C. Europe; 



