370 LEPIDOPTERA. 



even blackened, the dots of the transverse lines, or the first 

 line itself, more distinct, and the reniforni stigma yellow ; 

 but this form is not so constant as the var. comhusta, and has 

 occasionally a far more considerable marbling of purple-brown 

 almost all over the fore wings ; another variety much nearer 

 to the type, and found in Aberdeenshire, has the fore wings 

 so much suffused with rusty brown as to render the usual 

 blotches less noticeable : and others varying to softer brown 

 are found in this district, where also Mr. Arthur Home finds 

 extremely rich red comhusta forms, and those tinged with 

 silvery white. In Shetland and the Hebrides the latter form 

 is intensified and accompanied Ijy all variations to the darkest 

 possible comhusta, sometimes nearly black, in others quite of 

 a chestnut colour. In Mr. P. M. Bright's collection is a 

 specimen having the red blotch in the middle of the costa 

 extended and intensified into a rich dark purple-red central 

 band, the transverse lines also being visibly white. A pretty 

 form found in Cumberland by Mr. G. Routledge also has the 

 lines complete, but upon a pale grey ground ; indeed, when 

 the comparatively dull appearance of the typical and ordinary 

 specimens of this species is taken into consideration, the 

 beauty and silvery glossiness of some of the northern varia- 

 tions is surprising. 



On the wing in June and July. 



Larva stout, cylindrical bnt tapering a little behind, second 

 segment fully as broad as the rest, but the head narrower, 

 rounded, smoky-black, very glossy, papillfe distinct ; dorsal 

 plate black, with three white longitudinal bars ; body pale 

 yellowish-grey above the spiracles, dirty-white below them ; 

 dorsal line distinct and complete, white, dorsal region on 

 each side of it tinged with slate- grey ; subdorsal line but 

 faintly perceptible as a dusky thread ; spiracular line dusky 

 dark grey or brown ; raised dots rather large, black, as also 

 are the spiracles and pairs of dots below them ; anal plate of 

 the colour of the body ; legs and prolegs greyish-white. 



