April, 18781 211 



NOTES ON BEITISn TORTRICES. 

 BY C. G. BARRETT. 



(Continued from vol. xiii, ])(ige 15U). 



Some time ago, Dr. Wood sent me for examination a smoky-black 

 Tortrix, taken by him near Ledbury, Herefordshire, which I did not 

 then recognise ; but Prof. Zeller, on seeing it, pronounced it to be a 

 variety of Grapholitha nigricana, H.-8. ; and I now see that it agrees 

 precisely in form and size, and in such of the markings as are visible, 

 with specimens from Germany. It is, however, a very dark, almost 

 melanotic, form, with the usual markings nearly obliterated. 



Dr. Wood tells me that he took it among Scotch and spruce lira 

 in June. Heinemann says it occurs among Pinus picca. 



This species — which is totally distinct fi'om Endopisa nicjricann, 

 Steph. {iiebritana, D. L.) — has not hitherto been recorded in this 

 country, and a short description, from typical specimens, may be useful. 



Alar. exp. 6 lines. Head, thorax, abdomen, and wings dark grey. Fore wings 

 with indistinct blackish markings, consisting of the angulated margin of a basal 

 blotch, the curved and indented margins of a large triangular dorsal blotch (of 

 which margins the anterior is the most distinct), a slender fascia from the middle of 

 the costal margin to the anal angle, a large apical blotch, and a spot above the anal 

 angle. On the costal margin, between the middle and the apex, are four pairs of 

 faint lustrous streaks. Cilia blackish, intersected hy two oblique paler streaks near 

 the anal angle. All the markings are indistinct, the general appearance being of 

 faintly darker indented bars all along the fore wings. The most characteristic mark- 

 ings are the two pale streaks across the cilia near the anal angle, and those are 

 visible in Dr. Wood's specimen. 



The habits of its larva appear to be unknown, and the insect 

 must be diificult to see on the wing. It also appears to be very local, 

 being hitherto only recorded from Grermany and Greece. 



Dr. Wood has also had the good fortune to meet with a most in- 

 teresting, and apparently permanent, aberrant form of Braclnjloenia 

 Kartmanniana, L. (scriptann, H.). In it the ordinary creawy-white 

 ground colour of the anterior wings is replaced by clear white, and 

 the ordinary markings are intensified to a sharp steely blue-black, the 

 black streak below the large costal blotch being also extended and 

 curved posteriorly. This, with the addition of faint steel-blue curved 

 clouds in the apical white space, gives the variety a very distinct ap- 

 pearance, which is enhanced by the darker hind wings and tlie deep 

 black colour of the head and front of the thorax. 



Several specimens were taken in Herefordshire, all of tliem on 



