VARIATION IN MELITiEA AURINIA. 31 



than below. Vertex smooth, sparsely puuctured ; the front below the 

 ocelli is raised, the raised part gradually narrowed below, and stoutly, 

 transversely striated. Temples smooth and shining ; the malar space 

 bears a narrow furrow near the middle. Clypeus above clearly sepa- 

 rated, but not by a distinct furrow ; its upper part stoutly, irregularly 

 punctured ; the obliquely depressed apex is almost smooth ; its apex 

 is black, transverse, and has a tubercle in the centre. Palpi black. 

 Mesonotum strongly, closely punctured ; the depressed apex in the 

 middle strongly, closely striated, the strife oblique and converging 

 from the sides towards the middle. Apical half of scutellum more 

 strongly and closely punctured than the basal, Post-scutellum strongly 

 but not closely punctured. Metanotum strongly, closely, transversely 

 striated ; the stria on the sides oblique, in the middle more or less 

 roundly curved. Pleurae closely, strongly, obliquely striated, the strise 

 more or less curved ; the centre of the propleurae smooth, shining. 

 Abdomen smooth and shining. Areolet four-angled, narrowed in 

 front ; the recurrent nervure uniting in the middle ; the transverse 

 median nervure is received very shortly behind the transverse basal. 

 Transverse median nervure in hind wings broken in the middle. Hind 

 tarsi stout, closely spinose below ; the spines longer at the apices of 

 the joints ; they are stouter on the fourth joint. 



Noteworthy of this species is its great resemblance to 

 Cryptaidax ruficeps, Cam., and Oneilella formosa, Be., all three 

 having the same general coloration of body and wings. 



VARIATION IN MELITJEA AURINIA. 



By V. P. KiTCHiN, F.E.S. 



(Plate I.) 



These notes and the figures illustrating them refer to 

 specimens of M. aurinia taken and bred by the writer in Co. 

 Galway, Ireland. 



The typical Irish form of the insect known, I believe, as var. 

 hihernica, has clear yellow markings, free from that brownish 

 suffusion which detracts from the brilliancy of our English 

 specimens. For the typical Irish form see fig. 12. 



Variations of the upper wing. — Figure 1 shows ab. rirgata, in 

 which the black band dividing the yellow patch near the middle 

 of the costa is lacking. The opposite extreme is reached in 

 fig. 2, a heavily black-banded form. In fig. 3 is seen a variety 

 closely approaching that named merope, which is found in the 

 Alps. In this the black band crossing the yellow patch on the 

 inner margin is missing, all but a mere spot. Figure 4 is that 

 of a dwarfish variety with narrow fore-wings. In fig. 5 is shown 

 a variety in which the structure of the wings is abnormal. Two 

 nervures (5 and 6) on upper wing, and one on lower wing, are 



