VARIETIES OF NOCTU^ IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 177 



four very distinct forms besides the type. Summarised these 

 are : — (1) A pale form, without any dots or markings. (2) The 

 type, with three dots on anterior wings only. (8) A form with a 

 transverse row of dots on anterior wings and another on nervure 

 of posterior wings, with a faint shade under the median nervure. 

 (4) A red form. (5) A form much suffused with black scales. 



cc. var. ohsoleta, mihi. — Tliis variety has the anterior wings of 

 a delicate wainscot or straw-colour, with the median nervure pure 

 white, below which is a faint trace of the basal part of a longitudinal 

 dark shade. The three dots on the anterior wings are entirely 

 absent. Posterior wings pure white, no markings or dots. The 

 crest on the thorax very distinct. I have only one specimen of 

 this exceedingly rare and extreme form. 



/3. var. intermedia, mihi. — This variety most nearly approaches 

 the type. The wings are of the same pale straw or creamy-white 

 colour, w'ith a central dot, and, like the type, has two of the dots, 

 of those which form the transverse row so characteristic of the 

 following varieties, very conspicuous, viz., the one above and that 

 below the median nervure ; but, in addition, the others which 

 form the series are more or less developed. A longitudinal 

 ochreous dash, darker than the ground colour, extends under the 

 base of the median nervure ; a few ochreous scales scattered over 

 the spaces between the nervures. Posterior wings pearly-white, 

 with a faintly-marked row of dots on the nervures parallel to the 

 hind margin. This form, therefore, constitutes a link between 

 the type and the following varieties. 



y. var. rufolinea, mihi. — Anterior wings bright reddish 

 ochreous, all the wing-rays pale, so that the anterior wings 

 appear to be made up of alternate fine lines of red and white ; 

 the central dot distinct, a complete ro\v of black dots parallel to 

 the hind margin ; a well-developed dark reddish shade under the 

 basal part of the central nervure. Posterior wings white, much 

 shaded with grey (more so in males than in females), Vv'ith a row 

 of black dots on the nervures. Many specimens of this red 

 variety have the anterior wings much suffused with black scales, 

 as in var. nigrostrlata, but the latter never has a red ground 

 colour. 



^. var. nigroalrlata, mini. — The anterior wings pale wainscot- 

 brt)wn, so thickly suffused with black scales as to obscure the 

 ground colour ; the wing-rays very pale, sometimes wiiite, so 



