NEMOKIA VIRIDATA, LINN. 129 



llecord, vol. xii., p. 181), which notes, with his later comments, I take 

 the liberty of reproducing. These read : — 



ViKiDATA, L., " Syst. Nat.," ed. x (1758). — Werneburg argues at great length 

 that this is really strujata, Miill., but his arguments are so weak that I will not 

 even waste space by quoting them. Scopoli, in 1763, Schiffermiiller, in 1775, and 

 a host of others, rightly recognised Linne's species, and his type specimen is still 

 extant, confirming the identification. Viridala, L. (nee Werneburg), stands, 

 therefore, for the species so named. 



This accounts, as Mr. Prout points out, for the emphatic note, "certo," 

 in Staudinger's Catalan, ed. 1901, p. 263, in connection with this species, 

 the note being rendered necessary by the futile quibbles of synonymists, 

 who knew little of the true state of the case. 



Linne's own description of the type of N. viridata reads thus : — 



" Viridata. — Geometer with setiform antennae, all the wings angu- 

 lated, green, a white line. Habitat in oak. Resembles Roesel, i., 

 phal. 3., tab. 13 {i.e., a poor figure of H. aestiraria, L.B.P.), but with 

 a single line, and concolorous margin."''' Further, in the Fauna 

 Siiecica he adds : " Small, slender, all the wings green above, with a 

 pale line and the costal margin yellowish."! He then, unfortunately, 

 cites Harris' figures {Insects, vii., pi. 3, e-i). Now, these figures, Mr. 

 Prout assures me, unmistakably, if rather roughly, represent not A'. 

 riridata, but H. aestiraria : " but " adds Mr. Prout, in his letter of 

 explanation, " we know Linne was a very bad hand at identifying species 

 from figures, and constantly gives erroneous citations. Hence one of 

 Werneburg's strongest arguments collapses. But all questions are set 

 at rest by the existence of Linne's own type specimen." This specimen 

 Mr. Prout describes as " a poor one, faded to yellowish, and so sprung 

 that it is difficult to see what it is like. But the unspotted margin, etc., 

 show clearly what species it is, and, although its hindwings are a little 

 more angulated than in a good many riridata, they are not more so 

 than I have seen in that species." 



Examining Staudinger's " Catalog," Mr. Prout has helped me to 

 the following particulars. As a synonym of viridata he gives cloraria 

 Hb., Knr. Sclunett., tig. 352, with a reference to Guenee. This is 

 a good aberration, having two transverse lines on the forewing, as 

 against the single line of the type. Next there is a var. insi(fnatay 

 Stand., from central Asia, with the white lines absent, or almost so, 

 "alarum lineis albis obsoletis vel subnullis." Such a specimen I have 

 never seen, nor have I heard of such being taken in England. 



As a separate species, but with a query, we have, melinaria, H.-S., 

 fig. 413, founded upon a single male specimen from the Urals, and 

 suspected by Staudinger to be only an aberration of viridata, but no 

 description is forthcoming unless Mr. Prout can manage to find it. 

 Lastly, comes an insect considered by Zeller to be worthy of specific 

 rank, viz., porrinata, Zell., but, in Staudinger's judgment, merely a 

 "Darwinian species," " praec. forma Darvv. ; in coll. saepe confusa." 

 Mr. Prout tells me that this is commoner in some parts of Europe 

 than the species before us. He says, " Terribly like viridata. Its 



* GeoDietra seticornis, alis angulatis omnibus viridibus ; striga pallida. Hab. 

 in quercu. Similis Roesel, I., phal. 3, tab. 13, sed linea unica et margo concolor 

 {Syst. Nat., ed. x., p. 523). 



t Parva, tenera, alse omnes virides supra striga pallida margineque crassiore 

 tiavescente {Faima Suecica, ed. ii., p. 330). 



