18 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



on the look out for /.. niclieiiii," and also expressed the desirability of 

 obtaining details as to the earlier stages of this group of incipient 

 species. With this purpose in view, I distributed a nunjber of copies 

 of the reprint of my notes among our leading students on the continent 

 of Europe. In reply I have received a most kind and interesting 

 letter from one, whose delight it is to render his best aid to a fellow 

 entomologist of whatever nationality he may be, M. Chas. Oberthiir of 

 Rennes. He writes " Votre i/ueneei est bien conforme a la (/raslini, 

 Obthr, (Btdl. S(k. ent. France, 1908) et non a {/iteneei, forme blanchatre 

 sans dessins apparents, dont ma collection contient le " typicum 

 specimen Var, A " du Species (/eiieral des Lepiilopteres, Noctuelites." Of 

 this pale form of L. testacea he goes on to say, "C'est cette tcstacea pale, 

 d'un blanc-jaunjitre, presque depourvue de dessins, a laquelle nous 

 donnons le nom de (jneneei. Elle est commune dans le midi de la 

 France et en Algerie, rare aRennesou ffsfaccrtestpourtanttres-abondante 

 en automne, mais teatacea a Rennes, est le plus souvent d'un brim 

 fonce aux ailes superieures, avec les dessins bien ecrits. Il-y-a d'ailleurs 

 une foule de variations, mais I'espece est generalement tres- 

 reconnaissable." 



Reverting to the consideration of i/ueneei (Doubleday) he writes, 

 " Votre (iiiencei, en Franco and en Algerie, a les ailes superieures plus 

 allongees and plus etroites que testacea. Elle est aussi elle assez 

 variable. C'est I'espece que de Graslin avait rapportee iinickerlii, mais 

 que j'ai distingue sous le nom de iiraslini. Elle parait en Septembre. 

 Elle est abondante dans les Pyrenees Orientales, surtout." "G raslini 

 {(f Iteneei Donhl.) a le fond des ailes moins brun, moins ' ochraceous ' 

 qua testacea. Les ailes superieures de t/raslini ont le fond plus gris et 

 moins brun-jaunatre." 



In reply to my request for material for examination, M. Oberthiir, 

 with his customary genorosit}', sent me not only specimens of (jraslini 

 from the Pyrenees-Orientales, but the various forms of testacea from 

 Rennes, with two of the pale form, named ineridionale, one from Hyeres 

 and the other from Orau, both of which agree with the form A of the 

 Species iieiieral des lAiddopthci, and which is common in the south and 

 rare in the north, together with a scries of the allied species L. dunieiHii, 

 showing a parallel range of olive, brown, and pale forms as in L. 

 testacea. 



In these notes I will deal with the material and information so 

 kindly given me by j\l. Oberthiir. 



A glance at the four specimens of /,. i/rasUni was sufficient to 

 recognise them as L. ;/iieneei. The shape of forewing is the same; the 

 general coloration of both fore- and hindwings is identical ; the 

 variation, inter sc, is quite similar, except that two of the L. i/raslini 

 have the reniform stigma nearly as distinct as in the typical forms of 

 fj. nickerlii ; and all the markings are identical in position with those 

 given in ray previous notes as being characteristic of L. [/iieneei. 



Those four specimens were then handed to Dr. Chapman, who at 

 once recognised them as //. ifuoieei. However, we wore anxious to see 

 whether examination of the genitalia supported our views, and Dr. 

 Cha|)man Hul)seqnently found that these structures were practically 

 indistinguishable from tho.se of />. ijaeneci, and that there was no 

 hesitation or doubt as to the specific identity of L. ijueiieei (Doubl.) and 

 L. (jraslini (Obthr.). 



