Order: Lepidoptera. Section: Nocturna, Family: Noctuidæ, Steph.
Genus. Erebus, Latrielle. Thysania, Dalman. Noctua, Fabr. Phalæna (Attacus), Linn.
Erebus Crepuscularis? Alis griseis, fasciâ maculisque albis, anticis ocello fusco, posticis fasciis duabus dentatis fuscis fulvo marginatis. (Expans. Alar. 4 unc. 3 lin.)
Syn. Phalæna (Attacus) Crepuscularis? Linn. S. N. 2. 811. No. 13. Drury, App. v. 2. Oliv. Enc. Méth. 8. 255. 19.
Habitat: China (Drury). America (Linn.).
Upper Side. Antennæ setaceous. Palpi standing erect above the head. Tongue spiral. Neck with a narrow ring of white. Thorax dark brown. Abdomen dirty buff colour. Anterior wings dark nut brown at the base; paler at the external margin. On the anterior margin, next the tip, is a white subtriangular spot; and from the middle arises a white bar, which runs obliquely to the middle of the wing, but suddenly turns and runs to the base of the posterior margin; from the inner angle of this bar, near the middle of the wing, a black line runs towards the front of the wing, forming a large eye. Within the external margin are many dark and white marks. All the wings are scolloped. Posterior wings, next the shoulders, are of a dirty buff colour; remainder nut brown, separated by a narrow line of darker brown, beneath which runs a small narrow line of buff, and a quarter of an inch below this is another line, crossing the wing. From thence, to the external edge, are several darker coloured clouds, and white marks of different shapes and forms; particularly a white angular spot on the anterior edge, near the corner.
Under Side. All the wings of a pale clay colour, inclining to buff. On the anterior, the two white spots at the tips, visible on the upper side, appear here also; and several smaller ones on other parts of the wings. The white bar being less distinct than the other white marks; but on the posterior wings the white angular spot, near the upper corner, is very plain and strong.
The diversity of the habitats, given by Drury and Linnæus, render it doubtful whether that figured by the former be identical with that described by the latter.
NOCTUA LUNATA.
Plate [XX]. fig. 3.