266 THE entomologist's record. 



the centre of the wing. (4). The thickening of the nervures (with black 

 scales) towards the outer margin. On the hind wings there is (i). An 

 almost entire failure to form the black lunular marks on the extreme 

 outer margin (especially on the right side). (2). The zigzag line in the 

 centre of the wing is particularly well developed, whilst the area between 

 this and the outer margin is shaded with very opaque black scales 

 which quite obscure the ground colour. (3). The nervures are also 

 broadly black. The fore-wings show the slightest possible traces of a 

 concavity in the centre of the outer margin, but otherwise the specimen 

 appears to be quite normally developed. It is strange that the under- 

 side shows the spots which are united above, as distinct, and not much 

 more than the normal size, whilst those near the apex of the wing are 

 rather less developed than usual. The space between the extreme 

 edges of the hind wings and the outer row of silver spots is abnormally 

 broad. — J. A. Clark, The Broadway, London Fields. 



Variation in Noctua festiva and N. conflua.^ — "These are the 

 most variable and interesting of all the species in this genus. The 

 interest in them has been greatly enhanced owing to the discovery in 

 the Shetland Isles of forms totally unlike those obtainable in England, 

 Ireland and, so far, on the mainland of Scotland, Of these Shetland 

 examples, which are the true conflua, Mr. J. Jenner Weir writes : — 

 "This insect varies .much ; some resemble tlie ordinary varieties of 

 coiifiua, others are in coloration more like JV. da/ilii, and others are very 

 like JV. hruuiiea ; all are darker than the normal N. festiva. Some have 

 a hoary appearance, and indeed present such singular differences that I 

 do not doubt, if the more remarkable aberrations were examined 

 separately, they would in the absence of links, be regarded as distinct 

 species" {Eiifomohgt'st, vol. xiii., p. 289); and, writing of "the 

 Lepidoptera of Unst," the same gentleman remarks again of true coiiflua:- — 

 " A most beautiful series of this species was captured, some of a verv 

 rich chestnut colour with well-defined markings, as rich in colour as ^V. 

 brunnea ; and others of the var. confliia with markings almost obsolete. 

 Of these, three varieties are figured,- Nos. 8, 9 and 10 " {Entojnologist, 

 vol. xvii., p. 2). Of the general variation of ordinary Nocttia festiva., 

 Newman writes: — "This moth is exceedingly variable. Through th • 

 kindness of friends I have at times possessed hundreds of specimens, of 

 which I can truly say that no two were exactly alike " ( Brilisli Moths., 

 p. 349). The endless variation to which this species is subjected, the 

 remarkable connection between this and the small race, erroneously 

 known as coiifiua, which is captured on the moors of North England and 

 in Scotland, together with the occurrence of the true conflua (agreeing 

 exactly with Icelandic specimens) in the Shetland Lsles with festiva, 

 make this one of the most interesting of our Noctu.(E. 



The small form oi festiva, generally known as cofifiua in Britain and 

 on the Continent, is not the coiifiua of Treitschke, which represents the 

 Shetland and Iceland form lately introduced into our lists as var. thulei. 

 I have not the remotest doubt that this true Iceland and Shetland conflua 



- Part of a paper read before the City of London Entomological .Society, October 

 15th, 1891. 



^ The figures are very bad, and utterly useless for reference. — J.W.T. 



