







174 BRITISH MOTHS 
and other herbs; and the moth appears in June, but is very rare in this country, having only occurred near 
London, at Birchwood, and in Norfolk. 

SPECIES 5.—MAMESTRA NIGRICANS. Puate XXXVL., Fie. 7. 
fig. 
9: 
> 
Synonymes.—Woctua nigricans, Vieweg? Stephens, Ill. H. 2, pl. 24, Wood, Ind. Ent. pl. 12, fig. 254. 
Noctua objecta, Hiibuer. 
This species measures 12 inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are nearly of a dull uniform 
blackish, or olive brown hue, with the strigez scarcely visible, except the subapical one, which is slender and 
angulated, but very obscure, as is also the striga beyond the second stigma; the costa is marked with several 
rather darker spots ; the stigmata are slightly edged with dusky, the posterior one being rather brighter, with 
several whitish punctures, and succeeded by several blackish dots in a curved line; the hind wings are dirty 
white, with the nervures and margin dusky ; there is also a row of small lunate dark lines at the base of the 
cilia. Very rare ; two specimens only found in the New Forest by Mr. Bentley, and in Darenth Wood at the 
end of June. 

SPECIES 6.—MAMESTRA BRASSICA. Purary XXXVI., Fie. 8, 9. 
Synonymr.—Phal. Noct. Brassice, Linn.; Hiibner ; Haworth; Albin, pl. 28, fig. 42, 43, a—e; pl. 29, fig. 45, e—h; pl. 67, fig. a—d; 
pl. 78, fig.a—d; Stephens; Wood, Ind. Ent. pl. 12, 255. 
This very common insect measures from 13 to 13 inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of a 
brown colour, (variable in its tints in different specimens) clouded with darker shades; the costa is marked 
with several dark dots, arranged in pairs, indicating the commencement of the strige ; the basal one is distinct 
and much angulated, but abbreviated behind ; the second one is transverse and wavy, preceding the anterior 
stigma, which is of a moderate size and rather paler than the rest of the wing, and edged with a blackish line ; 
behind this is a small, blackish, ring-like mark, representing the supplemental stigma; the outer stigma is 
marked on its exterior part with several whitish specks, and is followed by a very curved striga composed of 
numerous small blackish arches. The subapical striga is whitish, and very much and irregularly curved, with 
the central part deeply denticulated ; along the margin is a row of small black arched dots; the cilia is brown, 
with white dashes; the hind wings are brown, with the base rather lighter coloured. 
The caterpillar is green, and more or less varied with grey or blackish ; it has a dark dorsal stripe, bearing 
a pale indistinct hue ; at the sides is also a dirty yellow stripe, with the spiracles white. It feeds on cabbages, 
lettuces, &c., eating out the heart ; and as it occasionally appears in great numbers, the injury which it commits 
is extensive ; the only remedy is that of hand-picking before the caterpillars descend into the ground, where they 
undergo their transformation, being full fed in the Autumn, and the moth appearing in May and June. 
Obs.—Mr. Haworth has described an insect under the name of Noctua albidilinea, which he states to be of 
the size and general form of N. Brassice, the fore wings being blackish coloured, with the ordinary stigmata 
and a very deeply dentated white striga close to the posterior margin, as in the Brocade moths. Mr. Stephens 
considers it as a variety of M. Brassice. 
SPECIES 7.—MAMESTRA ALBICOLON. Puarte XXXVI., Fre. 10. 
Synonymes.— Noctua albicolon, Ochsenheimer; Treitschke ; Hiibner ; Stephens; Ill. Haust, 2, pl. 24, fig. 3; Wood, Ind. Ent. pl. 256. 
This very distin - li 3 j i i 
| fi inct but dull-coloured insect measures about 1+ inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are 
See ee fay , a tee i ids 
greyish brown colour, mottled with darker shades, indicating, but not very clearly, the situation of the 
ordinary strigze, the costa being also spotted as usual. The two ordinary stigmata are slightly paler than the 

