
AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS. 191 
SPECIES 6.—POLIA POLYMITA 2 
Synonymes.—Ph. Noct. Polymita, Linneus? Ochsenheimer, Treitschke, Stephens, Ill. H. 3, pl. 26, fig. 2; Wood Ind. Ent. pl. 13, f. 300. 
Noctua ridens ( Polymita) Hiibner. 
As the unique* British specimen of this supposed species (which was described and figured by Mr. Stephens 
from the Vigorsian Cabinet, now belonging to the Zoological Society) is, as I am informed, no longer contained 
in that collection, I am under the necessity of giving the following abstract from Mr. Stephens’s ‘description, 
who, however, doubts its identity with the Linnean Polymita, although it seems to agree with his concise 
definition of that insect, although not exactly with the figure in Engramelle, referred to by Treitschke. The 
expansion of the fore wings is 1} inch, with the base and apex cinerescent, the centre greenish brown, forming 
a fascia of that colour bearing the stigmata, and bounded anteriorly by an oblique crenated white striga, margined 
externally with black, and exteriorly by a strongly dentate or angulated one, edged anteriorly with black ; 
towards the hinder (apical) margin is a waved fuscous cloud and an apical crenated black line; the posterior 
stigma is large and rather irregular, and clouded with ashy ; hind wings dusky, with an obsolete crenated dark 
striga beyond the middle. 
SPECIES 7.—POLIA FLAVOCINCTA. Puate XL., Fie. 9, 10. 
Synonyrmes.— Woclua flavocincta, Wien. Verz. ; Fabr.; Ochsen- Phal. Noctua tricolor, Villers. 
heimer, Treitschke, Donovan, vol. x., pl. 334; Haworth; Wilkes 7, Noctua dysodea, Borkhausen. 
plate 14, fig. sup.; Stephens, Wood, Ind. Ent. pl. 13, fig. 302. Noctua flavocineta major, Esper. 
This species measures about 12 inch in the expanse of the fore wings, which are of an obscure whitish colour, 
slightly mottled with brown, and with the characteristic marks edged with fulvous; those towards the base of 
the wing are very obscurely indicated ; the anterior stigma is rather square, and edged before and behind with 
fulvous, and behind it is all that exists of the second ordinary striga, which is slender, black, much dentated ; 
the second stigma is large, and also similarly edged with fulvous ; the space between and behind them being 
dusky. The third ordinary striga consists of a very much curved and dentated dusky line, or rather a 
succession of arches, and the fourth striga consists of a series of indistinct dusky blotches edged with fulvous 
towards the apical margin. The hind wings have a slight dusky crenated striga beyond the middle, and an 
ashy border. The caterpillar is green, with a yellow stripe down the back, and a pale longitudinal line above 
the feet. It feeds on lettuce, dock, currant, &c. The perfect insect appears in August and September, and 
is a rather common species. Boisduval introduces this into his genus Polia; as distinct from his Aplecte 
(nebulosa, tincta, &c.). Our figures of the caterpillars show a suflicient discrepancy to warrant at least the 
formation of distinct sections in the genus for their reception. 
SPECIES 8.—POLIA DYSODEA. Puate XL., Fie. 11, 12. 
Synonymes.— Noctua dysodea, Wien, Verz.; Hiibner; Treit- Noctua chrysozona, Borkhausen. 
schke ; Stephens; Wood, Ind, Ent. pl. 14, fig. 305; Wilkes 7, Noctua flavocincta minor, Esper. 
pl. 14, fig. inf. Noclua spinacia, Vieweg. 
Noctua ranunculina, Haworth. Ph. Noctua ornata, Villars. 
The expansion of the fore wings is about 14 inch; they are of ashy white colour, the central characteristic 
part of the wing being much darker, and considerably more angulated in its outline, than in P. flavocincta ; the 
basal striga is, however, whitish, and preceded by a black and fulvous stripe; the second striga is extended to 
the costa, and much sinuated, especially behind ; the stigmata are rather indistinct, but bordered before and 
behind with dusky and fulvous stripes, which extend to the costa; the third striga consists of a very much 

* Mr. Wood mentions the species as existing in the collections of Mr. Stephens and Mr. Vigors. 


