THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 237 



actual experience as likely to restore the original colour; 

 but I should try spirits of ammonia. — E. Newman.] 



Joseph Anderson, jun. — TJiera variata. — It is stated in 

 Newman's ' Illustrated History of British Moths,' that " the 

 true Variata has never occurred in England." Will you kindly 

 tell me whether since the work was written it has been 

 discovered in this country ? Also what are the distin- 

 guishing characteristics between Variata and Obeliscata ? 



[This is rather a case of nomenclature ; and I will 

 endeavour to explain, as well as I am able. Thera variata, 

 according to Guenee, includes five named varieties, or forms, 

 as they are sometimes called: — A, Obeliscata of Hilbner; 

 B, Fulvata of Fabricius ; C, Variata of Wood ; D, Simularia 

 of Boisduval ; and E, Vitiosata of Frey. The type, according 

 to Guenee, is well figured by Hiibner; and, on the authority 

 of my late friend Henry Doubleday, I said that this form had 

 never been taken in Britain ; at the same time adding that 

 " the two were probably distinct species." I am still in doubt 

 on this subject; and not possessing an authentic specimen 

 of Variata, can only copy Guenee's description, with which 

 Mr. Anderson is probably already familiar. I give the 

 original: — "Letype, bien figuree par Hiibner, est d'un gris 

 un peu olivatre, saupoudre, avec I'espace median noiratre, 

 retreci par en bas, ou il forme de petites taches ovales 

 contigues. La subterminale est distincte, fortement dentees. 

 Les ailes inferieures sont grises, avec une lunule cellulaire 

 distincte et une ligne mediane un peu coudee, noiratre. La 

 femelle est plus grande et souvent plus pale." (Uran. et 

 Phalaen. ii. 372.) Although I have great pleasure in copying 

 this description, I am perfectly satisfied with Mr. Doubleday's 

 decision that our British species is Obeliscata, and that Variata 

 yet remains to be discovered in Britain. It will, however, be 

 seen that Dr. Staudinger again unites the two, No. 2593 of 

 his Catalogue, giving Variata as the name of the species, and 

 Obeliscata as that of the variety; and Fulvata of Fabricius, 

 Pinetata of Borkhausen, Simiilata of Guenee, and, doubtfully, 

 also Ulicata of Duponchel, as synonyms. A second variety, 

 or aberration, is Strangulata of Hiibner. 



T. Matthews. — Heniigynoits Specimen oj Lyccsna Icarus; 

 Heliophohus populnris at Horley ; to Keep the Colour of 

 Dragonjlies, — 1 am pleased to inform you that I captured a 



