190 
THE SUBSTITUTE. 
other Noclucc: the markings of 
the wings consist of the ordinary 
lines, which are very neat, distant 
from one another, the elbowed 
line always followed by a row of 
dots sometimes joined to it, and 
the stigmata well marked, sur- 
rounded by a paler rim : the 
femora and tibite are rather hairy. 
The third group has a very simi- 
lar aspect to A^rotis, to which it 
forms a natural passage: the pos- 
terior wings are pale and irides- 
cent, at least on the disk ; the 
legs are less hairy but longer; the 
stigmata are not so neatly marked ; 
one only, the reniform, is distinct, 
dark, and accompanied with little 
white or yellowish spots, which 
surround it or are joined to its ex- 
tremities. (Vol. I., p. 242.) 
Noctdid.®. 
This is one of the families which 
appears the most distinct if we 
consider as the type the true 
Agrotis, but which inclines much 
towards the OrtliosUd/e as soon as 
we arrive at Noctua. M . Rambur 
thought he bad found rigorous 
characters in the presence of the 
spines with which the anterior 
tibite are furnished, and in fact 
this character is excellent, but it is 
far from being absolute, since we 
find in the genus Noctua a small 
group which no one would think 
of separating from it (Baja and 
subrina), which is more or less com- 
pletely devoid of it, and among the 
Agrotis some single species which 
also do not present it. The family 
of the Nocluidee, like others, only 
rests upon a certain number of 
characters which mutually support 
each other, but which lose their 
force when we attempt to separate 
them. 
The larvse of the Noetuidcc are 
of two sorts. The one is dull, 
velvety, rather brightly coloured, 
and with well-delined markings, 
especially the subdorsal line, 
which is often surmounted by an 
interrupted row of black spots, 
which increase in size towards the 
binder segments, and which form 
on the twelfth segment, where they 
cease, two wedge-shaped spots, 
which meet at one of tbe corners. 
The other sort is shining, of 
dirty colours, and the principal 
markings are the ordinary spots, 
which are black, slightly warty, 
and very brilliant. The former 
live sheltered under dried leaves 
or bushes ; the second have a 
more characteristic mode of life, 
and literally bury themselves 
during the day, either concealing 
themselves in roots, on which they 
principally feed, or constructing 
cavities, in which they avoid the 
light or enjoy the coolness. Often 
they only protrude the anterior 
])ortion of the body from these 
holes so as to reach the lowermost 
leaves. “ It is,” said I in my 
essay, “ a curious spectacle to see 
those that we rear in captivity 
forced to issue entirely to obtain a 
food which is no longer so much 
within their reach as in Nature. 
It seems as if air were not their 
element, or as if they could only 
breathe it in their subterranean 
abodes. And if we attempt to 
grow in tbe earth which we have 
provided them the plants on which 
they ought to feed, it is another 
pleasure to observe all the leaves 
in motion without being able to 
perceive the cause, and if we leave 
them for a few hours to find enor- 
mous tufts devoured by these in- 
visible beings. And let it not be 
