240 



So far as our English specimens therefore are concerned, 

 Ihe synonymy must be: 



neurica Hb., 381. 



var. dissoluta Tv., V, 2, 319. 

 vav. arundineta Schmidt, Stett. entomol. Zeit. 

 1858, 369. 



I should like to offer a few remarks on the priticipal 

 points of difference relied on by Schmidt, „Stettiner Zeitung''^ 



1858, p. 367. He writes: „The dif!erence is less 



in the maikings than the diftevent strncture of the body and 

 the wings. Neurica Hb., is the moie slender, arundineta the 

 more robust form.*' Our specimens of neurica, and its var. 

 arundineta vary very much in the shape of the wings. Some 

 specimens have the wings quite pointed, some very much 

 rounded, and this of course makes a great deal of difFerence 

 in general appearance, and makes the extreme forms in the 

 one direction appear more robust than the extreme forms in 

 the opposite direction. Schmidt then writes: „Fhe cokiur of 

 both forms vaiies in the same manner, but arundineta has a 

 dark spot on the underside of each wing, which neurica never 

 has.''' This is quite correct; I find the paler specimens (neurica) 

 of our species have iio dots, whilst the darker var. arundineta 

 have them very disliiictly, l)ut I find that these spots are 

 directly propoitional to the deptii of eolouring on the upper 

 surface, and that a complete giadation oceurs. Schmidt also 

 writes: ^^Neurica is on the wing 3 — 4 we^ks earlier than 

 arundineta}'' This is no pioof of distinctriess. Mr. W. Warren, 

 F. E. S., writes in the „Eutomologists' Monthly Magazine*-', 

 Vol. XXII, p. 256: „At tlie beginning of August, Nonagria 

 neurica was abundant; near Cambridge I have never taken it 

 before August, but in the Noifolk fens, I am told it is out 

 during the second half of July.'' This shows that in two ad- 

 jacent English counties, in localities only a few miles apart 

 there is a diffeience of 2 — 3 weeks in the time of appearance. 

 With regard to the Statement of Schmidt as to his failure in 

 pairing a neurica with arundineta, it proves nothing, as the ^ 

 may have partly lost its vitality. Such a thing often oceurs 

 when one breeds lepidoptera on a large scale. 



The natural history of Ihe species in England entirely 

 upsets Schmidt's theoi-y of distinction, and disposes effectually 

 of all iiis chief arguments. 



Stett. entomol. Zeil. l88b 



