Insects. 



8291 



wingless octopods can fly, man, the wingless biped, might solve the problem of 

 aerostation. 



On some new or little-known Macro- Lepidopt era from England. 

 By Dr. Herrick-Schaffer. 



1. Agrotis Ashworthii, Doubleday. 



This insect was discovered by Mr. Ash worth in Wales, and was 

 first described by Mr. Doubleday in the ' Zoologist' for 1855, p. 7449. 

 Mr. Stainton introduces it into his 'Manual' (1857), p. 228, but says 

 the caterpillar is green, with a pale dorsal line and whitish lateral lines, 

 both of which are wanting in a figure forwarded by Mr. Doubleday. 

 This is dark brown-green, with a rufo-ferrugineous head, and a large 

 black oblong spot on either side of each segment. * Dr. Staudinger 

 is not acquainted with it, but quotes A. vallesiaca, Stainton's e Annual,' 

 1855, p. 41, figure 2, which figure can in no case refer to my A. val- 

 lesiaca, and just as little to A. Ashworthii, unless it be regarded as 

 quite incorrect and unserviceable. 



Agrotis Ashworthii is distinguished from A. candelisequa by its per- 

 sistently smaller size; the anterior wings somewhat less expanded 

 posteriorly, and of a much darker blue-gray tint, without anv mixture 

 of reddish ; much sharper and thicker black markings ; the anterior 

 double line more vertical and straighter, the central shade blacker 

 and broader; the teeth of the posterior dentated line not thickened at 

 their tips, so as to form spots ; the waved line throughout of a darker 

 shade towards the base, and but little more strongly expressed at the 

 costa. 



In my 4 Systematic Arrangement' it would be placed immediately 

 next to A. grisescens, fig. 418, which I do not possess, and from 

 which it would be distinguished as follows : — the anterior wings much 

 narrower, the ground colour much darker violet-gray, the anterior 

 dentated line more vertical, central shade blacker, waved line shaded 

 with darker anteriorly, and posterior wings more blackish and without 

 a curved line. At all events a comparison of the original examples 

 of A. grisescens is necessary. 



2. Agrotis lunigera, Stephens. 

 Pretty well figured and described by Stephens ; however, my fig. 

 525, A. Trux, var., is almost a better representation of the female, 



* I have given a very minute description of this larva at p. 7677 of the ' Zoolo- 

 gist.' — Edward Newman. 



