THE ABRAXAS GROSSULARIATA AT THE RECENT MADDISON SALE. 131 



breaks up into spots, rather than become narrow as in C. avis. Either 

 really, or as an effect of its narrowness, it has a suggestion of being 

 faintly tinted green. It is entirely without the dark scales along its 

 inner margin that are so constant in C. iitbi. The portion in each 

 internenral space is curved. It occupies all the spaces on each wing, 

 from the costa to the space in front of vein two, but is bright towards 

 the costa (space between six and seven), and fades towards the inner 

 part of the wing. The row of spots in (J. rubi is much more irregular. 

 The first spot on the hindwing slopes inwards, in ('. ruhi it slopes 

 outwards, giving the second spot the appearance of being displaced 

 inwards in C. rubi, outwards in (7. avis. The <J appendages have only 

 slight differences. I have not examined sufficiently numerous 

 specimens to be able to assert that these are constant. 



It specialises in its foodplant, instead of being quasi-omnivorous 

 like 0. rubi. 



Habitat, Southern France (Var. and Pyrenees-Orientales), Morocco 

 (Tangier). The only specimen I have seen, not in my possession, is 

 one in the Brit. Mus. Collection, ranged with ('. rubi var. fcrrida, and 

 labelled " Tangier, Elwes Coll." 



r 



The Abraxas grossulariata at the recent Maddison Sale. 



By G. T. PORRITT, F.L.S., F.E.S. 



In the Rev. G. H. Raynor's notes under this heading in the current 

 number of the Ent. Record, pp. 87-8, is one statement which I think 

 calls for comment. Mr. Raynor tells us that the variety lacticolor 

 is much more variable in itself than in the variety varleijata. No doubt 

 the very limited (chiefly sale-room) experience Mr. Raynor has had 

 with the latter accounts for the statement, for the fact is that exactly 

 the reverse is the case. What a Avide range of variation there is in 

 var. varleijata, especially in the males, I thought I had clearly shown in 

 my exhibit of some of the forms at the meeting of the Entomological 

 Society of London on December 2nd last, and I think I may safely 

 venture to assert that there is no series of wild var. lactiador in exis- 

 tence that will show anything like the range of variation that does my 

 series of wild varleijata. Of course Ave all know that Mr. Raynor, by 

 selection of the parent moths for many years, has bred some very 

 curious forms, but these come under the same category as do domestic 

 pigeons and barn-door fowls ; and, although no doubt A'eiy interesting 

 as showing what can be done with the species (I am myself making two 

 somewhat similar experiments with Abraxat^ ijrosaulariata at the present 

 time), are of comparatively little interest or value to the scientific 

 lepidopterist. I am not disposed to discuss the monetary aspect of 

 these things, that is a mere matter of sentiment, and, if any collector 

 likes to give shillings or pounds for these manufactured aberrations, it 

 is his own affair. Personally I prefer, and, if you like, consider far 

 more valuable, recurrent varieties which are taken at large, or bred 

 from wild larvae, to those which are obtained by combination of cross- 

 ings, but which could hardly by any possibility occur under natural 

 conditions. 



