1873.1 99 



and constant character in ScJialleriana. The brick-red colour upon 

 which Wilkinson also relies is not so certain, and is, moreover, shared 

 by some specimens of comparana. 



Peronea potentillana, Cooke (see note to comparana in Wilkinson). 



proteana, H.-S. (recorded as Bi'itish in Eut. Ann., 1871, p. 9). 



I find it necessary to associate these two forms together, since 

 the balance of evidence is against their distinctness as species. Mr. 

 Doubleday ^^m\\,^ proteana {y!\ih. 'potentillana as a var.) into the sup- 

 plement to his list, but Dr. Wocke sinks both, as well as comariana, 

 Zeller, into varieties of comparana, although he admits Schalleriana as 

 distinct. Professor Zeller, to whom I have submitted specimens of 

 proteana irom.'NovioW, ?a'\di potentillana from Lancashire and York- 

 shire, considers them both varieties of his comariana, and he has sent 

 specimens of quite different varieties to show the extent of variation 

 of the species. Having examined all these with great care, I can find 

 no reliable distinguishing characters between them, and am decidedly 

 of opinion that he is correct. The forms of loings and marlcings are 

 accurately the same in all three, and although proteana has a peculiarly 

 silky appearance, which seems at first sight to distinguish it, interme- 

 diate specimens blend insensibly with the other forms. 



The variety proteana, as known in this country, may be thus 

 described — 



Head, palpi, and thorax grey ; fore-wings pale slaty-grey, reticulated with dark 

 grey lines. On the inner margin near the base arises a brown streak, extending 

 obliquely one-third across the wing. On the costa reaching from before the middle 

 to near the apex is a flatly triangidar, reddish blotch, from the apex of which a fascia 

 of pale reddish-grey extends to the anal angle. In some specimens this fascia is 

 nearly obsolete, while in others the entire apical portion of the wing is of the same 

 reddish-grey colour. Hind-wings whitish, tinged with grey at the apex. 



In the variety potentillana, the ground colour varies through dif- 

 ferent shades of reddish-grey, the blotch is distinct, varying from 

 reddish-brown to dark brown, and the fascia generally but faintly in- 

 dicated, while in the varieties of comariana sent by Zeller the ground 

 colour is yellow-grey, the costal blotch reddish-brown, but sometimes 

 nearly obsolete, and the fascia but faintly iiidicated. All these forms 

 have the reticulation of delicate dark grey lines, and the narrow, grey 

 oblique streak near the base of the dorsal margin. 



In the Eut. Mo. Mag., vol. vii, p. 233, is an interesting paper by 

 Baron Von Nolcken (translated by the Editors) upon this species, 

 in which he describes the larva and its vaiiatiuud, shows that each 

 variety produces the different forms of the perfect insect, and proves 



