270 THE entomologist's record. 



and beyond the orbicular, as in figs. 2 and 3 of Newman's British 

 Moths, p. 348, to a total absence of any dark markings whatever. 

 The conflua, as figured in Newman's British Moths, p. 349, are only 

 small specimens of festiva, and not the true conflua of Treitschke. 

 The species is polymorphic, and it is only possible in the most 

 general way to classify the forms we get. Some of the specimens 

 from northern localities have a strong tendency to develop a 

 glaucous shade, whilst others from exposed localities and moorland 

 districts, have a tendency to be dwarfed in size, although in our 

 southern woods, there are frequently very small specimens captured. 

 One rarely sees at large, such fine large specimens as some of the 

 North London collectors supply us with for our cabinets, and one 

 only sees occasionally from our southern woods such deep red-brown 

 specimens as are obtained near Perth. The Aberdeen specimens some- 

 times tend to reddish-brown, but this is of a rare occurrence. Hiibner's 

 type may be described as follows : — " The anterior wings slaty-grey at the 

 base, the extreme outer margin pale red to the subterminal line, the 

 colour then becomes dark red from this line to midway between the 

 stigmata ; the transverse lines grey, the reniform outlined in grey, the 

 orbicular pale pinkish. Hind wings dull grey, fringe red, a dark shade 

 on hind margin, transverse line and dark lunule " {Sammlimg europ. 

 Schmct., fig. 114). This type has no trace of black markings on the 

 anterior wings. In general variation, we are first struck with the range 

 of colour, which is very great, although not so extensive as in some 

 other species in the same genus. The great mass of specimens are 

 coloured with whitish-grey, yellow-ochreous or red, extending in some 

 specimens (principally Scotch ones) to bright reddish-brown, of the same 

 shade as in N. riibi var. quadratiim of Hiibner, to which some speci- 

 mens bear more than a superficial resemblance. Two other (almost 

 purely Scotch) forms occur, one, of a deep grey, the other, of a purplish- 

 red or plum-colour, the purplish tint being produced as in certain 

 forms of N. sobriua, N. baia, Agrotis hyperborea and many other species. 

 There is another Scotch form, dull reddish-brown in colour, common in 

 Aberdeenshire districts, which is much darker than any of our more 

 southern forms. In general appearance, too, there is great difference, 

 some specimens are very mottled, others have a distinct dark quadrate spot 

 between the stigmata and another beyond the orbicular, whilst sometimes 

 the basal area (to the central shade) is very pale (grey, ochreous, etc.) 

 the outer area being much darker. When the extreme outer margin, 

 beyond the subterminal is also pale, the insect has a banded form, and 

 sometimes this band is most striking in its development. The stigmata 

 vary but little ; they are generally pale in colour and well developed. 

 Only in one specimen of a long series are the two quadrate spots joined 

 by a line under the orbicular, although an occasional specimen shows a 

 tendency that way. There is also considerable difference in the 

 development of the transverse lines, but the only one of these that 

 occasionally presents any striking character, is the median shade, which 

 often stands out conspicuously dark on a pale ground colour. In size 

 there is great variation, and our exposed localities, in the north of 

 England and Scotland, produce the small specimens which Newman 

 erroneously called and figured as conflua in his British Moths, p. 349. 

 Hiibner's type is a very rare form, and I am indebted to Mr. Wylie, of 



