NONAGRIA EDELSTENI A NOCTUID XEW TO THE BRITISH LIST. 287 



agree with the figure of Hiibner. On the other hand, I observed that, 

 in Hiibner's figure, the collar is (1) of the same colour as the body, 

 (2) the central blackish spot (the lower part of the reniform) is encircled 

 with whitish, and that, on these characters, the figure must be held to 

 coincide with what Schmidt called anuidincta, and not with what he 

 unfortunately called neurka {nee pi. xxi., figs, 6-9), where this 

 character is well shown. The comparison of Hiibner's fig. 381 with 

 Edelsten's summaries of the descriptions of Schmidt's two species, 

 clearly shows that — 



Neurica, Hb., fig. 381 = arimdineta, Schmidt — 

 whilst neurica, Schmidt, is, on the characters given, a distinct species 

 (I long ago considered, probably only a variety) which I named, in July 

 last, edehteni. It is this latter species, with (1) white collar, (2) three 

 white dots placed longitudinally, (3) with unspotted underside, Avhich 

 has lately been added to our fauna by Messrs. Wightman and Sharp, 

 who captured a large number of examples in the Cuckmere Valley 

 of Sussex, on July 22nd ; Xonagria neurica, Hb., having been added 

 to the British list by Bond m 1845 {Zdoloi/ist, 1845, p. 1881). 



Assuming Schmidt to be the first author to really differentiate the 

 species, we append from Edelsten {h')it. Uec, xix., p. 34), the transla- 

 tion of that part of Schmidt's description, that applies to this species. 

 Erroneously assuming that neurica, Hb. (fig. 381), differed ivoiw neurica, 

 Hch.-Sch. (figs. 347, 348), both as seen from the figures really being 

 referable to the species with the dark lower half of the reniform pale- 

 ringed, an error for which Schmidt may certainly be fairly excused, as 

 he himself observes — 



"I cannot compare Hiibner's illustration for the present; I have seen it but 

 once, and only remember to have recognised by it by my first variety. Herrich- 

 Schiiffer's successful illustrations decidedly represent my second variety — 

 arundineta " — 



He writes of the two forms as follows {Stett. Ent. Ztif., xix., 

 pp. 367-370):— 



Although the two forms are very similar to each other, yet they are, in many 

 respects, stable, and so diiJerent that I am, for instance, never in doubt as to which 

 of the two forms the specimen belongs. Both forms vary considerably in colour, 

 and in a similar way ; but the former does not do so to the same extent or so 

 frequently as the latter. The size, shape of the wings, and markings are almost 

 the same in both. The difference in colour and markings is not so noticeable as 

 is the much weaker build of the body in Hiibner's form* compared with mine f, 

 although the length of the body and the size of the wings may be the same in both 

 forms. This is more strikingly shown in living specimens than in dried ones. The 

 first form has a white-bordered collar, and the latterf an unicolorous one. The 

 wings appear wider in the former,* and the ground colour of the forewing is usually 

 yellowish reed-coloured ; in the latter form f it is, on th'fe whole, darker — greyish, 

 brownish, reddish, and yellowish, in stronger gradations. The males, especially, 

 differ in having the dark longitudinal stripe, in the middle of the forewing much 

 weaker in the former variety,* and the spots in it are only indicated below by a pair 

 of white points, while the longitudinal shade is stronger in the second variety,! and 

 the reniform is generally quite visible. Furthermore, the underside of the latterf 

 form is distinguished by a sharp and stable central lunule on all wings, as well as 

 by some marginal marks, as against the former,* which has no mark here except 

 the arched line. The former variety,* appears some three to four weeks before the 

 latter, f and flies singly about reeds in the evening in several localities. Although 

 not scarce in some localities, the other f is only to be found in two localities 

 situated near one another, and most frequently occurs here, as a larva, together 

 with that of ^^aiwdicoZa. But their number has of late been smaller there year by 



* i.e., our edelsteni. f i.e., arundineta, Schmidt ( = neurjca, Hb.). 



