122 LEPIDOPTERA. 



F. Bond's collection, of a singularly pale brown ground 

 colour, but with all the markings distinct and complete. 

 One taken in Shetland by Mr. F. J. Hanbury actually 

 approaches very closely to the Scotch mainland specimens in 

 appearance, but is not quite so red and has faint indications 

 of the white nervures. A female specimen in Mr. Percy 

 Bright's collection has the fore wings of extraordinary 

 breadth, and is very deeply filled in with black. 



The range of variation of this species abroad is extra- 

 ordinary, so that it may be well to quote some of Dr. 

 Staudinger's remarks translated for the Zoologist^ 1859, by 

 Mr. J. W. Douglas. After giving as synonyms gelata, 

 Lefebv., Gn., &c. ; Grcenlandica, Dup., Gn., H.S. ; borea, 

 Bdv., Gn., H.S. ; cervina, Germ, H.S. ; difflua, Hiib. ; 

 arctica, Thunb ; gelida, Gn. ; poli, Gn. ; ? marmorata^ Zett. ; 

 and ? oleracea, Mohr. ; he goes on to furnish a table of 

 variations : 



Var. a. Fore wings black, marbled with white, both 

 sexes. 

 „ 5. Fore wings black, central band broadly paler ; 



male. 

 „ c. Fore wings variegated with black, yellow and 



white ; both sexes. 

 „ d. Fore wings yellowish, dusted with black ; female. 

 „ e. Fore wings yellowish, marbled with white. 

 „ /. Fore wings unicolorons grey, with the lines 



black ; both sexes. 

 J, g. Fore wings unicolorous reddish ; both sexes. 

 ,, h. Fore wings concolorous ochreous-yellow ; male. 

 „ i. Fore wings grey, subterminal line spotted with 



yellow ; both sexes. 

 „ h. Fore wings black, stigmata yellow ; both sexes. 

 „ I. Fore wings black, stigmata white ; female. 

 „ w. Fore wings wholly black ; both sexes. 

 "No Noctua known to me varies more than the fore- 

 going." " I have about four hundred examples from Iceland, 



