78 LEPIDOPTERA. 



it has quite the converse effect, for the similarity of colour 

 shows up the forms and textures of the two species in such a 

 manner as can leave no possible doubt of their distinctness in 

 the mind of any one who (as Mr. Gregson pithily puts it, 

 Entom. 97) '' has form and is not colour blind," and (he 

 might have added) is not tlie victim of ideas. We now see 

 that in assuming a darker shade conspersa does not acquire 

 a rough coat, nor do we observe that the insect becomes 

 broader in the wings or alters the shape of its wings, or 

 becomes more robust, or in fact drops any of its character- 

 istic structural peculiarities to attain those of another species. 

 This much is instructive. The question, however, which has 

 been in my mind for some years is this : " Is Barrettii a 

 true Dianthcccia?" When some ten or twelve years ago a 

 male example only of the future D. Barrettii was known, 

 Mr. Doubleday considered it a Hadena, and my opinion, 

 given at that time, was that it was nearer to Polia. Even 

 in his description of the insect (Annual, 1864) after the 

 female had been discovered, Mr. Doubleday indicates a 

 doubt as to its being a thorough-going Dianthcecia. My 

 impression still is that, so soon as the natural history of the 

 species shall have been worked out, it will be found necessary 



to erect a genus for its reception. Dicranura vinula has 



laid a white egg, and lovers of the monstrous will be in- 

 terested to hear that A^ baja has paired with L. jyallens, and 

 C cubicularis $ with S. uIvcb ? ; in fact, exceedingly ec- 

 centric appear to be the habits of the present generation of 

 insects, for Icarus {Alexis that was) has been caught making 

 love (?) to a bit of blue paper, and Euphrosyne to the knob 

 of Dr. Chapman's umbrella ; and, if we are to believe all 

 that we read, D. Euphorhice has taken to eating bedstraw 

 and Gortyna potato tubers, and H. prasmayia to "utteiing 

 a shrill and peculiar sound at quick intervals," which it con- 



