290 THE entomologist's record. 



type, in which the traces of all transverse lines, except the bands, are 

 reduced to a minimum. In ground-colour, Fig. 9 agrees with Figs. 7 

 and 8, whilst Fig. 10 is, if anything, paler than Figs. 1 and 2. This 

 form we may call ab. vinjata. 



Some of the specimens show a slight tendency to ochreous in the 

 ground-colour of the fore-wings. 



As very little is to be found in our text-books about 0. filiiiraiiniuiria 

 the following information may be useful. The caterpillar is described 

 by Mr. Hellins as feeding on sallow, it is stout and smooth, the 

 general colour rich velvety green, the belly pale whitish-green. The 

 head and second segment shining, and having a blackish tinge ; on 

 each side of the dorsal vessel is a pale yellowish-green stripe ; and on 

 each side are two sulphur-yellow stripes ; on the back of each segment, 

 tubercles appear as minute yellow dots ; the segmental divisions are 

 orange-yellow ; the spiracles are yellow, and between them and the 

 belly are a few speckles. The caterpillars bury themselves in the 

 earth in April to undergo their transformation (Newman, Ihit. 

 Moths, p. 109). Merrin [LepidopteriM's Calendar) gives: — Egg — 

 " September to February " ; Larva — " February to April " ; Imago — 

 " August and September." It will be observed that these months are 

 not identical with those I record. 



The species was first described by Herrich-Schiifter [Sppl., 19'4, 

 195—12 L. (H.-S., iii., p. 160, No. 141)]. He writes of it: 

 — " Minor, area media angustiore, omnino oljscuriore," which leaves 

 the small central dark-banded inland form the type, so far as it is the 

 first described form. Herrich-Schaffer then says: — "Perhaps only a 

 small, sharply marked variety of 0. dilutaria ; the fore-wings are some- 

 what pointed, yet they appear stunted (or crippled), for their margin 

 shows a singular ' swing.' The colour and plan of markings agree 

 with the darkest females of O. dilutaria, yet the black lines are not so 

 sharp as is usual in that species. The costal area between the two 

 transverse bands and the space between the hinder tranverse band and 

 subterminal are the darkest ; the two latter (hinder transverse band and 

 subterminal) are the whitest. The hinder transverse band forms 

 in cells 2 and 3, and again on nervure 6, sharper teeth border- 

 wards. The black dots of the nervures are, on account of the 

 dark ground colour, scarcely to be recognised. On the hind- 

 wings the space between the two dark wavy lines, which follow the 

 hinder double stripe, is filled in with dark colour. The underside shows 

 this stripe very broad, especially on the hind-wings, where it is finely 

 divided and borderAvards bounded by a broad dark band, basewards of it 

 stand three dark lines, as in (>. dilutaria. On all the wings the border is 

 sharply lighter behind the subterminal." Mr. Prout says of this : — 

 " Herrich-Schaft'er's Figs. 191-195 (upper and under-side) are the small 

 form which I have from the Lancashire Mosses, and quite dift'erent 

 from any of the figures in Plate iii. {Entum. liecord), the central 

 area being (as H.-S. mentions) entirely dark, hence the only pale parts 

 are the lines bounding the small basal patch, the two double white 

 bands (on either side of central fascia) and the sub-terminal. Hind- 

 wings somewhat as in Plate iii.. Fig. 9, but still more strongly con- 

 trasted, and the dark band nearer the margin." 



The earliest British specimens of this species were captured by Mr. 

 Weaver, and he appears to have supplied almost all the British (and 



