SPHINX PINASTRI AS A BRITISH INSECT. 135 



that " until the last two years (1889-90), Mr. Hele has not failed to 

 take a specimen or two every year." 



Nothing more was really wanted to establish the British nationality 

 of S. j)iuastri beyond doubt, but if anything could add stability to the 

 general conclusion of the authenticity of S. jtiuastri, it is to be found 

 in the fact — ^that for the last five years in succession Lord Rendlesham 

 and his son, the Hon. F. Thellusson, have taken the insect regularly 

 in more or less abundance, have obtained ova, from which Lord 

 Walsingham, as well as themselves, have bred imagines, and, 

 during last autumn, succeeded in beating the larvae. 



There can, indeed, be little doubt, if any, that Spkinj- pinastri is 

 a sedentary native, and therefore more entitled to rank as British than 

 our migrating S. concolculi and Dnlephila (/alii, or our lost iK cuplinrbiat'. 

 All I would add is that if anyone can show just cause and impediment 

 why -S. pinastri should not be considered a native of our Islands, let 

 him declare it. 



Notes on Noctua f estiva (Hiibner), and Noctua conflua (Treitschke)". 



By FREDK. J. HANBUKY, F.L.S., F.E.S. 



I had intended on the present occasion to have merely exhibited 

 my series of the above-named insects, adding a few remarks that I 

 thought might be of general interest. I was asked, hoAvever, to put 

 such remarks into definite shape, in order that they might be available 

 for reference in connection with the much-disputed point as to whether 

 insects placed under the above names are to be regarded as distinct 

 forms, or whether the names should be considered merely as representing 

 the extreme states of one excessively variable type. 



Into the much greater question of what constitutes a species, I 

 have not the least desire to enter. I have heard enough discussion on 

 this point, in other branches of science, to make one very shy of 

 attempting to dogmatize on a question that frequently resolves itself, 

 in the last resort, into one of individual opinion. All that I wish to 

 do is to endeavour to put before you such facts as my limited opportu- 

 nities for observation have afforded, in order to help you, if possible, 

 to come to a decision as to whether the name Xuctita festira represents 

 a definite and permanent form, Avhich, though excessively variable, 

 may yet be distinguished Avith certainty from an equally variable yet 

 definable form which is symbolized by the name of Xoctua conflua, 

 Treitschke. 



A first necessity in determining such a point is to have adequate 

 material on Avhich to form an opinion, and I am greatly indebted to 

 Mr. Tutt for the loan of his entire series which, so far as Noctua 

 festira is concerned, represents a considerably larger number of localities 

 than my OAvn, Avhilst the set of both bred and captured specimens of 

 Noctua confiua that I have recently accumulated is perhaps as extensive 

 and representative as any I have seen. In the exhibit before us we 

 haA^e 271 specimens placed under the name Noctua festira, and 166 

 specimens, picked from a much larger number, to represent Noctua 

 conjiua. The drift of my further remarks may perhaps be better 



* A paper read before the City of London Entomological and Natural History 

 Society, Novenaber 5th, 1895. 



