218 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



character referred to, is found indicated more or less clearly in 

 several specimens among the magnificent series of V. urticts from 

 Europe in Mr. Leech's collection, and I have seen traces of it in 

 British examples of the species. 



Fig. 2 represents the Japanese form of V. urtica : this is 

 known as V. connexa, Butl., and is regarded by some entomolo- 

 gists as a distinct species. 



Var. polaris, Staud., from Lapland, appears to be a form 

 intermediate between connexa and the type. 



Vars. turcica, Staud., and ichnusa, Bon., from the Balkan 

 Mountains, and Corsica and Sardinia respectively, are well-known 

 local forms of V. urtica. The former has no yellow patch near 

 the inner angle, and the two black spots are very small ; whilst 

 the last-named variety has neither yellow patch nor black spots 

 above, and the wings are less angulated. Both forms are, how- 

 ever, subject to modification. 



Ichnusoides, De Selys, Men. Liege, ii. (1845), re-described 

 and figured by Lambrichs, Ann. Ent. Belg. xxi. p. 9, PI. I. fig. 5, 

 is a form of V. urticce which, as regards the primaries, appears 

 to have some of the characters both of polaris and ichnusa ; but 

 it will be seen, on referring to fig. 3, PI. VIIL, that the second- 

 aries are curiously aberrant. The specimen now figured is from 

 Berlin, and is in Mr. Leech's collection : it is not, however, 

 exactly identical with the example figured by Lambrichs, as in 

 that specimen the costal spots of primaries appear to be confluent. 

 Under the name of atrehatensis, Boisduval figures another modi- 

 fication of var. ichnusoides : this has the two costal spots nearest 

 apex of primaries confluent, the yellow normally between first 

 and second spots only faintly indicated, and the whole insect is 

 much suffused with blackish. 



From. var. ichnusa on the one hand to var. connexa on the 

 other is a far cry ; and if we had no knowledge of such interme- 

 diate forms as ichnusoides, turcica and polaris we might fairly 

 consider the extreme forms distinct species : as it is, there does 

 not appear to be any valid reason for regarding them otherwise 

 than as local forms of V. urticce. 



Vanessa io, Linn., vars., PL VIIL, figs. 7, 8. 

 A curious form of this species is represented by two 

 examples selected from several similar specimens in Mr. Leech's 

 collection. Figs. 7 and 8 show the extremes between which this 

 form fluctuates. In the large series of V. io, which comprises 

 the specimens now figured, are individuals showing various modi- 

 fications of the "eyed-spot"on secondaries; the gradations between 

 the complete ocellus of the type and the aberration (fig. 8) are 

 well illustrated. These specimens, together with very many 

 aberrations of other species to which reference may be made at 

 a future date, were in an extensive collection of Palsearctic 



