

166 BRITISH MOTHS 
slaty-grey colour, very much irrorated with brownish above, and blackish markings, which on the left wing give 
to the characteristic portion the appearance of the two figures 29 in old cursive text. The costa is marked 
with several dusky dots, and there is a pale oblong-oval stripe, edged behind with black at the base. The black 
line being obliquely deflexed at the extremity behind the anterior stigma, which is pale, but with a dusky centre, 
the dark line by which it is edged being also obliquely continued behind the second stigma, which is similarly 
coloured to the anterior one, the space between them being dark but edged with the black edging of the stigmata ; 
towards the middle of the inner margin of the wing is a black angulated line edged externally with white, there 
being no other indication of the ordinary strige. The space beyond the stigmata is less varied, except towards 
the margin, where are a row of conical black spots preceded by a paler tinge of grey, two of which towards the 
posterior angle are confluent, and followed by a very slender row of dusky lunules. The hind wings are pale 
greyish-brown, with a slight dusky transverse fascia beyond the middle ; the abdomen and cilia of the hind wings 
are tinged with rosy, the latter preceded by a very slender but interrupted dark line. 
This is a common and widely-distributed species, occurring on the trunks of trees in March and April; it is 
also fond of frequenting the flowers of the sallow. In its early appearance, therefore, as well as in several minute 
structural peculiarities, it is distinct from the preceding and following species. 

SPECIES 11.—HADENA PROTEA. Puare XXXIV., Fie. 3, 4. 
Synonymes.—WVoctua protea, Wien. Verz.; Esper; Hiibner; Noctua seladonia, Haworth. 
Treitschke ; Duponchel ; Boisduval ; Godart; Guénée. Polia seladonia, Stephens. 
Noctua nebulosa, Borkhausen. 
We have followed Boisduval and Guénée in uniting this insect to the genus Hadena, although it must be 
observed that in its markings and some other characters, as well as in its larva state and its autumnal appearance 
in the perfect state, it materially differs from all the other Hadene. The fore wings measure from about 14 
to 13 inch in expanse, and are very variable in colour, being of a reddish-brown varied with grey and greenish, 
and with numerous dusky markings. The costa, with numerous oblique blackish dots and a few white specks 
towards the tip ; the two ordinary stigmata are grey, with the middle dusky and slightly edged with a fine black 
line. Towards the base of the wing is a whitish patch edged with blackish externally, beyond which the space 
is also darker ; towards the middle of the hinder margin is another pale patch, above which is an oblique dark 
mark resting on an irregular black line, which is bent upwards towards the outer stigma; beyond this the wing 
is of a clearer colour and whitish towards the apex, having a pale irregular submarginal striga considerably 
angulated towards the middle, and outwardly edged with darker brown, and with a more regular series of conical 
minute brown spots tipped with black along the margin. The hind wings are pale brown with the base whitish, 
and beyond the middle and towards the margin run two slender pale strige; the margin itself with a row of 
small black wavy lines. The wings beneath are pale grey, very much powdered with blackish scales and a 
central blackish dot in each, and a marginal row of minute dark conical dots; the ciliz are cinereous with brown 
spots. ‘This is a most variable species ; some individuals having nearly all the green and reddish-brown tints of 
the fore wings obliterated, whilst others have them of a nearly uniform pale green with a few black streaks ; 
others are nearly grey, with the inner margin, stigmata, and subapical fascia nearly white. 
The caterpillar is dirty-green coloured with small dark punctures, the head clearer green with two whitish 
spots edged with black and a yellow mark on the first segment, a yellow dorsal line and one of the same colour 
at each side along the stigmata. It feeds on the oak ; the imago occurs in September and October, and is by no 
means a rare insect. 

