56 the entomologist's record. 



The Identity of the British Nonagria neurica {with plate). 



By H. M. EDELSTEN, F.E.S. 

 (Concluded from p. 37.) 



Knaggs mentions (Ent. Ann., 1865, p. 99) that Doubleday did 

 not recognise the name arundineta bestowed on the insect which had 

 hitherto gone in our cabinets by the name of neurica, he also refers to 

 Schmidt and Staudinger. 



In 1869, Staudinger confirms N. neurica, Hb., as a separate species 

 and makes N. dissoluta, Tr., the type, hessii, Bdv., a synonym, and 

 arundineta, Sch., a variety. Staudinger writes (Stett. Ent. Ztg., xxx., 

 p. 88): " Nona<jria neurica, Hb., dissoluta, Tr., arundineta, Schmidt. — 

 In Ochsenheimer's collection there is a genuine neurica, Hb., fig. 381, 

 designated as such by a label written with his own hand. Underneath a 

 typical a rundineta, Schmidt, isplaced, and provided with a label, on which 

 is the following, written in Ochsenheimer's handwriting : ' An eadem 

 cum prrecedente? sub nomine Noctua dissoluta.' In Treitschke's 

 collection there are, under the label neurica, five specimens, the first 

 of which is a neurica, Hb., 381, the second, third and fourth are 

 arundineta, Schmidt, and the fifth is the dark variety of neurica, Hb., 

 figs. 650-661, subsequently, hessii, Boisd. It appears in the most 

 striking manner from this, as well as from what Treitschke says 

 about neurica (Die Schmett. , ii., p. 319), that Treitschke united all the three 

 varieties, while Ochsenheimer had already correctly surmised the latter 

 to be another species, viz., arundineta (so well characterised by my 

 friend Schmidt, of Wismar, in the Stett. Ent. Ztg., 1858, pp. 369 et seq.). 

 The name dissoluta, however, must only remain for the dark variety 

 of arundineta (as that is certainly only what it is), for Hiibner's figs. 

 659-661, and for hessii, Boisd., as Treitschke, when giving this name 

 (p. 319), only means the dark variety. Now, to proceed consistently, 

 the name dissoluta, Tr., must remain as the typical name for the sake 

 of priority, and arundineta, Schmidt, must be added as a variety ; 

 although this black dissoluta, Tr., is now exceedingly rare, and has not 

 been found since the death of old Hess. I do not know whether, and 

 in what condition, the light variety of arundineta is found near 

 Darmstadt ; Schmidt never found the dark variety near Wismar." 



Newman describes (Brit. Moths, p. 271, fig. 458) arundineta, and 

 figures arundineta and dissoluta, gives Treitschke's description of the 

 larva, and says this insect is the N. neurica of Doubleday's list, and 

 goes on to say " the lower figure represents the variety dissoluta of 

 Treitschke; this is the neurica of Hiibner, figs. 659-661, and the 

 hessii of Boisduval. The upper figure is the neurica of Treitschke." 



In 1888-9, Tutt says (Ent. Mo. Mar/., xxv., pp. 56-7) the synonymy 

 should be : — 



Nonagria neurica, Hb., Sta. 



(a) var. dissoluta, Tr. 



(b) var. arundineta, Schmidt. 



In 1891, the same writer, in his British Noctuae, i., p. 49, calls the 

 species neurica, says two of his specimens, which came from Mr. 

 Warren, from Cambridge, agree exactlj' with neurica, Hb., also says 

 most of our specimens = arundineta, Schmidt; he also describes 

 dissoluta as a var. of neurica. In the same work (iv., p. 101) he 

 criticises Schmidt and Staudinger again, says we get neurica, Hb., also 



