78 THE entomologist's record. 



Jiistortata, Goetze [1781], has been ignored, since the name was 

 "quite unfittingly chosen," being in fact due to the assumption that 

 the insect was identical with a bistort-feeding species in Reaumur. 

 But inasmuch as many of Linne's names of like origin have been 

 accepted {I'-H., Kiimuiefiia alchfDiillata, Ypinuinwuta eroni/niflhis), its 

 rejection is quite illogical. Goetze merely names a figure of De 

 Geer's [Memoires, Tom. 2, Pt. 1, pi. 8, fig. 16), quotes his diagnosis, 

 and does not even cite Reaumur. Hence it is clear that, if we can 

 identify De Geer's species, it will have to be called bistortata, Goetze, 

 just as his figure of the " Streamer " moth is now called nvjrofasciaria, 

 Goetze. De Villers subsequently [1789] names the same figure 

 binndnlata ; this latter name, therefore, sinks as a synonym, and the 

 question is again encountered with which synonymists have so often 

 to deal — Would hiundnlaria, Bork., or binndnlaria, Esp., be valid in 

 the face of this rejection? But, fortunately, I believe bitindidaria, 

 Bork., to be identical with bistortata, Goetze. 



De Geer's important figure dates from 1771. He found the cater- 

 pillar feeding on alder, and it Avas full-fed on August 4th ; he kept the 

 pupa in a warm room, and the imago, a female, emerged on January 

 1st. He described it as being dirty white, marked with grey, and as 

 being almost of the colour represented in his figure (an uncoloured one). 

 As the grey dusting is somewhat sparse, Mr. Barrett suggests that the 

 insect ' represented is our biundularia (No. 2) ; but on investigation 

 this does not appear to be the case. I cannot entirely match the 

 figure by any British specimen known to me ; b;it it probably comes 

 nearest to a pale Perth example (No. 1, cre}nisrulana) in Mr. Tutt's 

 collection. By an interesting, though not important coincidence, Mr. 

 Tutt also has a bred specimen which emerged on January 1st ; I have 

 not heard of T. biundularia (No. 2) emerging so early, even under 

 artificial conditions. 



In order to obtain further light, however, I consulted my esteemed 

 correspondent. Professor Aurivillius, as to the form actually occurring 

 in his neighbourhood (Stockholm), and he has very kindly sent me 

 two examples. He writes : — " This species is rather scarce in Sweden, 

 and we have not many in the museum, but all which I have seen are 

 of the same pale colour ; the dark form has not been found in SAveden. 

 I think you are right in referring De Geer's figure to the form I am 

 sending you. In De Geer's collection of types, which is in our 

 museum, his species, however, is represented by a specimen of Cidaria 

 resppitaria, Bork., but this species agrees neither with the description 

 nor with the figure." The specimens sent me are indisputably cre- 

 pusndaria (No. 1), not the warmochreous form which wegetin England 

 (var. abietaria, Haw., according to Guenee), hwt the common Conti- 

 nental form, only a shade lighter than the ordinary German specimens. 

 In Sweden, the species normally appears in May and June, but so also 

 do Selenia bilunaria, Anticlea badiata, etc., etc., while the whole genus 

 Taeniovainpa appears in April and May ; so that there is no evidence in 

 the dates to prevent our uniting the Swedish insect with our early species. 

 In the entire absence of all evidence of the occurrence of our white insect 

 in Scandinavia, I therefore unhesitatingly declare De Geer's figure to 

 represent (as I had already believed from the appearance of the figure 

 itself) our early species (No. 1) ; and the two names belonging to the 

 figure, biaturtuta, Goetze, and biundidata, Vill., are to be referred here. 



