THE ATHALIA GROUP OF THE GENUS MELITA. 31 
ab. hertha was originally described by Quensel (‘ Vetenskaps 
Acadamie nya Handlingar,’ T. xil. p. 280, 1791) as a separate 
species, though it is really a form of athalia quite near to cory- 
thalia and pyronia. There are probably few forms of any of the 
group about which such a mistaken idea prevails; I have found 
but one instance—Lampa (‘ Tidskrift,’ 1889, p. 18)—of a descrip- 
tion, which has been taken from Quensel’s figure, loc. cit. pl. x. 
figs. 9 and 10, and it is certainly a case where it was necessary 
to consult the figure, for the original concise description is 
wholly inadequate. Itrunsas follows: ‘‘ Alis subdentatis fuscis, 
Supra anticis fascia maculari, posticis striga punctorum, fulvis.” 
A much longer Latin description follows, calling attention to the 
many peculiarities not previously noticed. The figure is un- 
coloured though excellent, and for the colouring of the following 
description I have used the longer description of Quensel :— 
Up.s.f. w.: The outer subterminal line sharply defined and no 
markings beyond it towards the base, except the large basal suffusion, 
which melts into the ground colour about one-third of the way across 
the wing ; the ground colour would seem to be somewhat lighter than 
usual, as in the longer description the word luwtews is substituted for 
ulvus. 
: Up. s. h. w.: As in corythalia, but with the light spot visible 
though obsolescent. 
Un. s. f. w.: Ground colour dull yellow (obscure luteus), the only 
markings being an indication of the outer subterminal line bordering 
the brightish yellow (flavescens) lunules, the outlines of the lower 
half of the stigma (or possibly the central part of the basal lines), and 
between these a series of very narrow longitudinal dashes of unequal 
length, so narrow as to be mere thin lines, and utterly unlike the black 
dashes of eos and some other forms; none of them extend so far 
either as the basal markings in the one direction or the outer subter- 
minal in the other. 
Un. s. h. w.: Spots of basal band coalescent, of a dull yellow 
(luteus), and rather strongly edged with black ; the inner band appa- 
rently represented by one dark (or black) spot; the inner part both of 
the central and outer bands black, the latter failing towards the 
costa; the outer band fulvous, the terminal and central of a bright 
yellow (flavus). 
It will readily be seen that this is a very remarkable form on 
the under side, even among the corythalia-group of aberrations, 
especially so on account of the fore wing. Aurivillius (‘ Nordens 
Fjarilar,’ p. 29, 1888), in his description of this form, makes no 
mention whatever of the un. s. f. w., and my own observation 
(‘ Butterflies of Switzerland,’ &c., p. 91)—‘‘ with long black 
streaks un. s. f. w., but less black up. s. f. w.”—is a very fair 
sample of the inadequacy of most modern descriptions. 
ab. pyronia, Hubner, ‘ Sammlung,’ 1. pl. 114, figs. 585-588, 
$ and 2 up. and un. s. (1804), is a modification of the same 
form, with less of the dark colour on the up.s.f.w., and a 
