44 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS A LIST OF THE VARIETIES 

 OF NOCTU^ OCCURRING IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 



By J. W. TuTT, F.E.S. 



Many of the Lepidoptera are very variable, and none more so 

 than our British Noctuae. Some species, fairly common in 

 Britain, differ entirely from the types on the Continent of 

 Europe, and in some instances our ordinary forms have been 

 named by Continental lepidopterists as varieties of the typical 

 forms occurring with them. A very large percentage of British 

 collectors know nothing of Continental Lepidoptera ; hence they 

 do not know how far our species agree with, or differ from, the 

 forms generally distributed on the Continent of the same 

 species. Many others have no idea of the range of variation of 

 many generally-considered constant species, obtainable in certain 

 districts of our own islands. Thanks in a great measure to 

 Mr. South, there seems to be a much wider view prevailing than 

 used to be the case, and many now take up the study of local 

 forms of certain species, and are not satisfied with a series of 

 six, eight, or ten specimens of each species, in fine condition, 

 perfectly set, about which they know otherwise nothing. The 

 majority of Continental lepidopterists take up the study from a 

 much broader point of view than we generally do, and all treat 

 Britain as a part of the European area. Our insects, therefore, 

 find a ready place in their collections, and we find Continental 

 lists containing large numbers of named varieties which are 

 very frequently of British origin, such names being unfamiliar to 

 lepidopterists in this country. Many of our lepidopterists 

 object to any addition to the names already in our list, but those 

 who really wish to take up the study from a scientific stand- 

 point will see how necessary it is to keep in touch with 

 Continental lepidopterists, especially as far as our own British 

 species are concerned. 



What does one learn from the statement " light " or " dark " 

 form ? What does it imply ? It is much better to give every 

 distinct form a varietal name and call it by such name. Now, 

 if I capture an unfamiliar form of any species, and do not know 

 whether such form has been captured previously or not, searching 

 through our old entomological literature is like searching for the 



