ANOTHER BRITISH EXAMPLE OF XYLOPHASIA ZOLLIKOFERI. 221 



Another British example of Xylophasia zollikoferi. 



By J. W. TUTT, F.E.S. 



Probably one of the most elusive of the Noctuids occasionally 

 captured in Britain is Xylophasia zollikoferi. Up to date only some 

 four specimens have been captured in Britain, full details concerning 

 the first two of which were published in The British Noctitae and their 

 Varieties, vol. i., pp. 71 et seq., whilst a third was noted as captured by 

 Lofthouse at Linthorpe, near Middlesborough, on September 26th, 

 1903 {Naturalist, p. 456 ; Ent. Rec, xv., p. 345 ; Ent. Rec, xvi., p. 24). 

 This last was figured by Barrett {Lep. Brit. Isles, pi. 424, fig. 5), 

 and has more the appearance in figure of Nonagria arundinis {tijphae) 

 than the species it is intended to represent, owing to the width of the 

 wing on the outer margin. Lofthouse, in recording his specimen, 

 states that " he sugared in his garden throughout the autumn, and 

 on September 26th captured a large Noctuid, which has proved to be 

 Xylojdiasia zollikoferi, particularly worthy of note as having been 

 taken at the time that large numbers of Fijrameis cardui was noticed 

 all along the coast here from Redcar to Sunderland." So far as this 

 is a suggestion that A', zollikoferi is an occasional immigrant, which 

 appears to be absolutely certain, the reference to P. cardui is weak, as 

 the latter immigrates here in May and June, and the autumn 

 specimens are no doubt home-bred from immigrating parents. 



The earliest example was captured by Harding, at Deal, in October, 

 1867, the second by Tait, at Inverurie, a few miles from Aberdeen, in 

 September, 1871. The former specimen is in the " Doubleday coll.,'" 

 at the Bethnal Green Museum, whilst the latter was, when The 

 British Noctuae and their Varieties, vol. i., was published, still in 

 Tait's possession. The first was commented on by Doubleday (into 

 whose possession it passed) (see Brit. Noct., i., p. 71), the second by 

 Buchanan-White {Scot. Nat., i., pp. 267-8, and quoted in Brit. Noct., 

 i., p. 71). Freyer, in his Neuere Beitrage, etc., pi. 184, figs. 1-2,. 

 figured and described the species in 1836, and it was then figured by 

 Herrich-Schaffer {Schwett. v. Earopa, figs. 103-104). These figures of 

 Continental examples are all rather different from Harding's and 

 Tate's examples which we described as ab. pallida (see Brit. Xoct., i., 

 p. 72), and Buchanan-White notes {Scot. Nat., I, p. 268) that Herricb- 

 Schilffer's fig. 103 is more like the Inverurie specimen {i.e., our ab. 

 jiallida), and further observes that H.-Schtiffer's fig. 104 looks almost 

 like a different species. This latter has quite a different appearance, 

 though a similar facies, being strongly marked with black longitudinally 

 in the discal area of the wing, and hence having quite a lineated 

 appearance. 



Recently Mr. A. Plunkett, of Norwich, asked me to name a Noctuid 

 that he could not place, and sent the specimen through Mr. H. J. 

 Turner for this purpose. As soon as I saw it I recognised it as another 

 example of A', zollikoferi. The specimen was captured on September 

 4th, 1905, atCarrow, near Norwich, considerably worn, but superficially ♦ 

 not at all unlike Herrich-Schilffer's fig. 104, the discal area is dark 

 (had probably been blackish -grey) on which the nervures and 

 outlines of the reniform and orbicular stand out in the pale, somewhat 

 fawn, ground colour, the outer margin is also strongly shaded with 

 October 15th, 1910. 



