208 THE ENTOMOLOGIST'. 



affinis [lunato-strigata), at magis rufescens. Antennae hirto-pectinatae ut in 

 ilia, at macula media nigra diversa est. Alee posticae albse, apice strigaque 

 in ipso margine fulvis." Another not uncommon form, with the mark 

 under the stigmata somewhat ;)(^-shaped ; this is due to the neatness with 

 which the two transverse striga) approach each other under the stigmata, 



Mamestra, Och. 

 With regard to the genus Mamestra, most of the species have 

 two extreme forms of variation, — one, pale brownish grey ; the 

 other, black, with almost all intermediate forms. Sordida (anceps) 

 seems to be the extreme ochreous type of the genus, persicari(e 

 the extreme black one. Based on variation, the position offurva 

 seems somewhat anomalous, and it seems to me that this species 

 should hardly be placed in this restricted genus at all. With 

 regard to the other species, abjecta has two extreme forms, 

 so has albicolon (Guenee's ' Noctuelles,' vol. v., pp. 194 and 

 196), but we do not apparently get the darkest forms of 

 the latter species in Britain, though there is a great deal of 

 variation in our specimens, and hi^assicce has also two extreme 

 forms. With regard to another phase of variation in this genus, 

 a careful selection of varieties shows that the albicolon mark, 

 supposed to be characteristic of one species, is really well- 

 developed in aberrant members of all the other species, tlie only 

 species in which it is not traceable being in persicarice, but my 

 series of the latter does not contain specimens of those varieties 

 in which the reniform is more or less obsolete, and it is in such 

 I should expect to find it. 



Mamestra, Och., abjecta, Hb. 

 The type of this species is represented by Hiibner's fig. 539-, 

 ' Schmet. von Europa,' which may be described as having — 

 " Anterior wings of deep, but clear, brownish (almost reddish) 

 grey, an abbreviated basal transverse line and a complete one in 

 contact with the inner edge of orbicular, both double ; a short 

 dark longitudinal streak under base of median nervure ; orbicular 

 distinct, reniform outlined in white ; an oblique line from costa to 

 median nervure between stigmata ; a wavy transverse line just 

 beyond reniform, followed by four short longitudinal wedge- 

 shaped spots. The dark longitudinal mark under stigmata in 

 Newman's figure (' British Moths,' p. 298) is absent. The hind 

 wings dark grey on outer edge, with pale base and distinct 

 lunule." Staudinger says " forma, al. ant. fere unicolor magis 

 nigris." I rather fail to follow how Staudinger can call Hiibner's 

 figure " almost unicolorous " ; it certainly is much more variegated 

 than many specimens we get, as the above description clearly 

 shows, but apparently much less so than the ordinary continental 

 form which he has named variegata. The most unicolorous 

 forms that I have seen are (1) a fine steely grey form from the 



