VARIETIKS OF NOCTU^ IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. H5 



coma must not be confounded with the northern species of the 

 same name. The great character of this variety is the increased 

 development of the tJ/-Uke mark. I have taken this form with 

 the type at Addlestone, in Surrey, and have no doubt it occurs 

 everywhere where the type may be obtained. 



y. var. pepli, Hb., Gn. — Dr. Staudinger gives this as a probable 

 variety of mtricoma, with the description, " obscurior, magis 

 unicolor." Guenee describes it without a mark of doubt, as 

 follows : — " The ground colour of a more bluish grey, and at the 

 same time more sprinkled with black dots, which make the 

 marking less distinct. The inferior wings of the male are 

 whitish in the middle. Fringe spotted." He gives as localities, 

 Germany and Normandy. 



Acronycta, Och., menyanthidis, Vw. 

 a. var. salicis, Curtis. — This melanic form of menyanthidis was 

 figured by Curtis (Brit. Ent. pi. 136), with the ordinary larva of 

 that species, the imago from which the figure was obtained 

 having been bred with others by Curtis, from menyanthidis larvee 

 captured on sallow in the Trosachs. The late Mr. J. C. Dale, 

 who was with Curtis at the time, and also took larvae, bred a 

 specimen, vide ' Substitute,' p. 212. This melanic form must be 

 very rare in Britain. The unfortunate error of dark rumicis 

 having been mistaken for Curtis's salicis, has made the matter 

 much involved. It is to be hoped that all collectors who breed 

 melanic menyanthidis will record Ihem. Mr. Brest, Entom. x. p. 

 129, writes: — "Those {menyanthidis) we take near York are 

 nearly black, and the light form is very rare." 



p. var. obsoleta, mihi. — The ground colour of the anterior 

 wings somewhat paler than in the ty[)e, the markings very faint 

 and indistinct. Instead of the black markings of the type (vide 

 Newman's 'British Moths,' p. 257), they are grey and but little 

 deeper in shade than the ground colour. The discoidal spots 

 are indistinct, the hind marginal and central areas veiy pale, 

 the latter inclining to white. My specimens of this form were 

 given me by my friend Mr. Butterfield, and were captured in the 

 Bradford district. He also gave me a remarkable s[)ecimen with 

 the right side of this obsolete form and the left side much more 

 strongly marked and typical. 



y. var. sajlusa, mihi. — The anterior wings powdered with black 



