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CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS A LIST OF THE VARIETIES 

 OF NOCTU^ OCCURRING IN THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 

 By J. W. TuTT, F.E.S. 

 (Continued from p. 233.) 

 Mamestra, Och., brassica, L. 

 The type of this excessively abundant and widely-distributed 

 species is described by Linnseus, in the ' Systema Naturae,' 10th 

 edition, p. 516, No. Ill, as follows: — " Noctua spirilinguis 

 cristata alls depressis cinereo nebulosis: unco nigro supra 

 maculam priorem." In the 12th edition, p. 853, No. 163, he 

 adds, " Stigmata alee ordinaria punctis albis notata et margo 

 inferior punctis 3 albis." It must be noted that no mention is 

 made in the Linnsean description of a subterminal line, and 

 mention is made of three white dots on inner margin. My 

 specimens have one or two of these dots present, not three, 

 and I have specimens in which the subterminal striga is 

 practically obsolete; the "uncus" is well seen around the 

 claviform, and there are traces in some specimens of another 

 around the lower part of the orbicular. It would appear 

 that we rarely get specimens satisfying the Linnsean description 

 of the type, our specimens being principally referable to var. 

 alhicolon, St. Guenee, in his ' Noctuelles,' vol. v., pp. 198, 199, 

 says of the variation of this species : — " It varies a little both 

 in colour and markings, but I have never seen a distinct race. 

 Alhidilinea of Haworth has the reniform and subterminal line 

 well marked in white; Albicoloji of Stephens is, on the contrary, 

 of mixed colours, with the claviform obliterated ; lastly, the 

 figure d of Engramelle has a yellow ochreous tint. These last 

 specimens are generally smaller than the type." Regarding this 

 ochreous form, Mr. Dobree has specimens, a description of which 

 he has kindly given me {vide var. ochracea). In England we 

 appear to get three fairly distinct forms: — (1) Ashy grey, mottled 

 with darker on the costal margin and with ochreous on the inner 

 (the ochreous often with a reddish tinge), with distinct stigmata 

 and subterminal line, = var. alhicolon, St. (2) An almost uni- 

 colorous blackish grey form, with all markings and lines, except 

 reniform, almost obsolete, = var. unicolor. (3) An intensely 

 black form, with very distinct white subterminal line and 

 reniform, = var. alhidilinea. Hiibner figures (88) the pale form 

 under the name of hrassicce. Mr. Gregson, 'Entomologist,' iv., 

 p. 52, writes : — " Of this constant and abundant species I dare 

 not say how many I have carefully secured, and the results are 

 before me: — One very small perfect specimen ; one of a smooth 

 rich brown colour and without markings, a large specimen ; and 

 two large females having full white stigma, and a rich, distinct, 

 wavy, light striga near the outer edge. These are very striking 



