234 LEPIDOPTERA. 



several curves, double, obscure, purple-brown ; subterminal 

 line an irregular series of faint grey or blackish clouds edged 

 outside with white, one of which at the anal angle is round 

 and conspicuous ; before the first line are often two or three 

 round black dots placed perpendicularly ; the outer duplicate 

 of this first line is thickened at its angles by raised black or 

 brown scales ; between this and the second line is usually a 

 triangular purple cloud occupying the whole middle portion 

 of the costal margin and enclosing a round spot, in the 

 middle of the wing, of sharply raised black or brown scales, 

 which forms almost a button-like tuft ; the apex of the wing, 

 and in some degree the hind margin, is often clouded with 

 purple-brown, and along the extreme margin is a row of 

 black dots ; cilia of the ground colour of the wing. There is 

 a tendency to raising of the scales on all the markings, or 

 indeed irregularly on other portions of the fore wings, more 

 especially noticeable in specimens in which they have not 

 been flattened in setting. Hind wings broad and ample, the 

 hind margin sinuous, hollowed below the apex ; shining pale 

 grey or greyish-white, sometimes rather more smoky-grey 

 along the hind margin ; cilia concolorous, but with a yellowish 

 basal line. Female accurately similar. 



Underside of the fore wings pale silvery-grey ; costa 

 whiter, but obliquely barred with grey-brown. Hind wings 

 shining whitish-grey. Body and legs pale grey, the latter 

 short. 



Variable in an extraordinary degree ; so strikingly indeed 

 that several of its varieties were formerly described and 

 figured as distinct species. Thus a form in which the fore 

 wings are silvery -grey, the costal region much marbled with 

 reddish-brown and the round spots before the first line totally 

 absent, was named degeneranus ; another, in which the brown 

 clouding is more spread across the wings, but the spots still 

 absent or obscure, was called undulanus ; one, still more 

 strongly banded and having one round distinct spot before 

 the first line = dilutanus ; a more uniformly brown form, but 



