NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM. 217 



either the southern or the northern form, and the double ap- 

 pearance of the former strengthened that opinion. In a commu- 

 nication to the " Entomological Magazine," in July, 1832 (vol. 

 1, p. 42), I stated, as the result of my collecting, that Mr. 

 Stephens was in error in his diagnosis, as " neither sex possessed 

 exclusively either the white or black spot;" and, indeed, amongst 

 my specimens were several of a truly hybrid form, having a 

 white discoidal spot, with a black centre. In the latter part of 

 1834, Mr. Newman, in the same Magazine (vol. 2, p. 515), 

 advanced an opinion, that all three were one, though I certainly 

 think on insufficient grounds. Having soon after this time 

 ceased to pursue Entomology for some twenty years, I took no 

 active interest in the matter, and during that interval an occa- 

 sional doubt or surmise by others appears to have been all the 

 attention bestowed upon the question. There is only one other 

 descriptive work I need refer to, Mr. Stainton's useful Manual 

 (1856), where of Agestis he says: " Rich brown, with a marginal 

 band of orange spots. Fore-wing, a central black spot. Under- 

 side, white spots with black centres;" and of Artaxawes : " Rich 

 brown, with a more or less distinct marginal band of orange 

 spots. Fore-wing, a w^hite central spot. Underside, Avhite spots 

 without black centres;" and gives, amongst the localities for 

 the latter, . " Castle Eden Dene and Richmond, Yorkshire," to 

 include our Salmacis. ^ 



Let us now consider the points of distinction relied on. They 

 seem to he—Jirst, The marginal band of orange spots ; secondly, 

 The black or white spot on the ui^per wings; and, thirdly, The 

 ocellated or non-ocellated white spots on the underside. As to 

 the first, there is no doubt that this band of orange spots is 

 generally most fully developed in the southern localities ; but the 

 supposition, that it always decreases as we proceed northwards, 

 is certainly erroneous ; for some of the finest and most brilliant 

 specimens in this particular that I have seen are from parts as 

 far north as Liverpool, from our own district, and from Edin- 

 burgh; those from the two latter localities bearing the white 

 spot of Artaxerxes. We may therefore, I think, safely dismiss 

 this band as any criterion of specific difference. 



