276 r December, 



of noMana lent from Lord Walsiughaiu's collection and fit>-ured in his 

 work. This view surprised me. I have taken both forms commonly 

 near Ramsbury, within a few hundred yards, but in very different 

 situations (wet and dry respectively) and never together ; they look 

 very distinct, notulana being much darker, with a good deal of dark 

 fuscous marking, manniana much yellower, and I have no intermediates. 

 It is possible, however, to argue that the former is a dark marsh form, 

 influenced by difference of food-plant, the form of wing and fiosition 

 of markings being nearly the same, and therefore I looked for some 

 structural distinction. This was soon found in the ciliations of i\\e^ 

 antennae; in notvlana these ai'e about 1, in vuivnlana at least 2 ; the 

 difference is conspicuous, and the distinction lully conclusive ; the two 

 species are undoubtedly distinct. 



Consideration of Dr. Kennel's work makes me doubt whether he 

 is really acquainted with luanniana at all ; he gives three figures (PI. 

 XII, 69-71), but I think all are notulana, and his description applies 

 entirely to this also. It woiild seem that the name manniana has been 

 often misapplied on the Continent, and that some authors who treat of 

 it (Herrich-Schaffer, for instance) had not the true species before them. 

 Are we sure of the identification ourselves ? On this point the evidence 

 seems entirely satisfactory, and is recorded by Barr,ett in Ent. Mo. 

 Mag. (Vol. XI, p. 192), where he also gives a clear and unmistakeable 

 description ; specimens were sent to Zeller, who certified them to be 

 manniana (being of course also well acquainted with his own /io^?//*? //a) 

 on the strength of types named l)y Fischer von Eoslerstamm, the 

 author of the species, and several others received from Mann himself, 

 " who, I should think, must know the species named in his honour," 

 and agreeing with the original figvire. 



Unfortunately wrong identifications of this and other species of the 

 genus have caused considerable confusion in the recorded larval habits. 

 By collecting without discrimination various records Dr. Kennel gives 

 in many cases a list of various food-plants, when in fact only one is 

 normal, the others being either exceptional or erroneous. The normal 

 food-plant of notulana seems to be Mentha aquatica, amongst which I 

 always take it ; he cites also other s})ecies of Mentha and Lycojms, on 

 which it may very well feed sometimes, but Alisma, Butomus, and 

 Inula are given probably by confusion with other species. The true 

 manniana (which is widely distributed in this neighbourhood) occurs 

 here only on the hills, on dry flowery banks. I have never found one 

 in the day-time, but it can be taken flying after sunset ; its food-plant 



