VARIETIES OF NOCTU^ IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 207 



thorn bush in Abbott's Wood, which I think is gueneei." It is, I think, 

 undoubtedly this variety, but it is exceedingly small* (scarcely larger than 

 Miana strigilis), very pale grey, with a few very indistinct black costal 

 markings, all the markings of testacea faintly marked, the three stigmata 

 traceable although indistinct. Hind wings pale grey. The history of the 

 original gueneei may be found in the ' Entomologist,' vol. xviii., p. 54. 



7. var. cinerea, mihi. — I have given this name to Guenee's var. ^., a 

 not uncommon form in Britain. Guenee thus describes it : — " Superior 

 wings of an ashy-grey, with a slight reddish tinge. The transverse lines 

 indistinct, the basal one having the points at the lower part very pointed. 

 The terminal space edged by a series of blackish streaks, which are placed 

 between the nervures. Inferior wings very pure white, with an indistinct 

 shade. Locality, the Eastern Pyrenees." " This is very different to our 

 testacea, hut M., de Graslin, who has reared it from the larva, and who is 

 better able to recognize any variation in all its stages than myself, considers 

 it a simple variety " (* Noctuelles,' vol. v., p. 283). This grey form is 

 probably the most common one in Britain ; I have it from Sligo, Lancashire, 

 Hartlepool, Aberdeen, Strood, Deal, London, and other localities. 



^. var. nigrescens, mihi. — Anterior wings blackish grey, varying in 

 intensity. The markings too vary, some having them darker than the 

 ground colour, while others have them so nearly of the same hue as to 

 make the specimens look almost unicolorous. I have specimens in my 

 cabinet from Sligo, Aberdeen, Fleetwood, and Strood. A black specimen 

 is also recorded (Entom. vol. iv., p. 305) as being captured at St. Ives, 

 Hunts ; and Mr. Robson informs me that it occurs at Hartlepool. Mr. C. 

 G. Barrett, ' Ent. Mo. Mag.' vol. xxii., p. 124, writing of this species at 

 Belfast, says, "Several of the L, testacea were nearly black "; whilst at 

 p. 188 of the same volume, we read that Mr. Porritt exhibited at the 

 London Society's meeting a melanic specimen from Glasgow. 



t. var. lunato-strigata, Haw. — Haworth's type of this variety is described 

 by him as follows : — " Noctua. x\lis rufescentibus nigro nebulosis, striais 

 duabus fasciaque marginali fuscis." " Preecedenti vix differt nisi magni- 

 tudine minora, et coloribus saturatioribus, sed rarissime variat " (' Lepidoptera 

 Britannica,' p. 194, No. 97). This form, without the mark under the 

 stigmata, is not uncommon in most localities. 



^. var. unca, Haw. — Haworth's type of this variety is described as 

 follows : — " Alis pallide rufescentibus strigis duabus fasciaque marginali 

 fuscescentibus." " Alae anticae subnebulosse, striga undata fracta ante 

 medium : tunc stigmata ordinaria fusco pallidoque imperfecte marginata : 

 tunc striga secunda extus arcuata, ex lunulis confertis uigris pallido extus 

 adnatis composita; et priore fascia connexa perliueolam nigram unciferam. 

 Margo posticus undatim subfuscus apice pallido. Cilia rufo-cinerea maculis 

 cinereo-fuscis. Posticae albse striga in ipso margine subinterrupta fusca, 

 ciliis rufescentibus " (' Lepidoptera Britannica,' p. 194, No. 96). This form, 

 with a simple curved or hooked lineola, joining the transverse lines and 

 extending under the stigmata, is one of our most common varieties. 



v). var. ^-notata, Haw. Haworth's description of this variety is : — 

 " Alis rufescentibus macula oblonga nigra utrinque emarginata in medio, 

 strigaque arcuata pone medium et lunulis nigris." " Prsecedenti valde 



* It is worthy of note that Mr. Gregson, 'Entomologist,' vol. iv., p. ,51, writes 

 of this species, "I possess specimens from less than 1 inch to 1 inch 4 lines in 

 expansion." 



