90 



THE YOUNG 



NATUEALIST. 



female will deposit her ova on the sides of 

 a pill box, and it is easy enough to rear. It 

 is therefore taken for consideration now, as 

 it is sure to be in the hands of every col" 

 lector during March, except those who wait 

 for warm weather before emerging from 

 their winter hybernation. 



"GoTHicA, L., Goth'ica, gothicus, gothic." 

 A.L. Probably so called from the shape 

 of the black mark found between the 

 stigma of most of specimens. 



Imago. — Expands from an inch and a 

 quarter to nearly an inch and a half. Dark 

 greyish brown, with rather a purple tinge, 

 the hind margin paler. A small black mark 

 near the base. Four small black spots on 

 the costa, at nearly equal distances. The 

 stigmata paler, with a very distinct black 

 mark between them, and which extends 

 under the orbicular stigma. There is also 

 a black streak below this, and nearer the 

 anal angle. This black mark renders the 

 ordinary fprra of the insect very distinct. 

 A somewhat similar mark is found in Noctua 

 ditrapezium and Noctua triangulum, but their 

 larger size, and later appearance, prevents 

 any fear of confounding the present species 

 with either of them. 



Larva. — Bright apple green, -with dis- 

 tinct narrow yellowish dorsal and sub- 

 dorsal lines ; spiracular line broad and 

 white. 



Pupa. — Of the usual form and colour 

 of noctua pupse : buried under the surface 

 of the earth without any cocoon. 



Food Plants. — whitethorn and wil- 

 . low would appear to be the natural food of 

 this species, but it is not at all particular, 

 and will live on a variety of other trees, and 

 also will eat many low plants. I once saw 

 a female ovipositing on dock, at the foot of 

 a hawthorn hedge. 



Times of A-ppearance.— The imago 



emerges in March, and continues on the 

 wing a long time. The eggs are laid in 

 April, or even May in the north, and the 

 larva is full-fed by the end of June or early 

 in July. 



Habitat.' — The Hebrew Character is 

 common in most places, and sufficiently 

 abundant for every one to meet with in 

 their first year. It may be found in open 

 places in woods, in lanes, &c. It is generally 

 distributed in Britain. It occurs in central 

 and northern Europe, in Italy and Turkey. 



Variation. — Though this insect appears 

 to be tolerably constant to the type, it is, 

 nevertheless, subject to considerable varia- 

 tion — more than most species of this group. 

 Specimens from northern localities have in- 

 deed varied so much that they have been 

 thought by some to be a new species, and 

 have been placed in catalogues, &c., under the 

 name of Gothicina. This form of the insect 

 is paler brown in colour, but is most con- 

 spicuously different, from wanting the black 

 mark between the stigma, as well as the 

 smaller black marks named in describing 

 the species. In some examples this black 

 mark is entirely wanting, and then the in- 

 sect is very unlike the type. In others it is 

 distinctly visible, but is brown in colour, 

 and every gradation may be traced between 

 the extreme form of Gothicina and the well- 

 marked specimens that are most abundant 

 in English localities. In type specimens 

 this black mark also varies very much, some 

 having it large and distinct ; others having 

 merely a thin black line between the 

 stigma. 



LARENTIA MULTISTRIGARIA. 



The Mottled Grey. 



This is another species emerging in the 

 I early part of the year that is likely to be 



