TEPHROSIA CREPUSCULARIA. 27 



It is in the larva state where variation is most conspicuous, 

 but always in the matter of colour. The constant characters 

 are (1st), structural, as a general snakelike appearance increased 

 by lateral swellings of segments 3 and 4, particularly segment 3 ; 

 slightly raised and notched appearance, dorsally, of segments 3 

 and 12, the notches being raised tubercles, each emitting a short 

 hair. (2nd), constant colour markings, as a pale blotch, whitish, 

 yellowish, or reddish above and upon the claspers of segment 10 ; 

 and black, oblique, dorsal marks on segment 12, almost forming 

 a V, pointing anally and terminating in the notches. Constant 

 colour markings up to the final stage are segments 6, 7, 8, darker, 

 dorsally, than the rest, and a V-shaped black mark on segment 6 

 similar to that on segment 12, but pointing towards the head. 

 The V-shaped mark was most constant, even including the final 

 stage, in New Forest larvae (crepuscularia = bistortata). In 

 other matters of coloration, as the stripes, or traces of them, 

 there was constancy enough ; all else was chaos, from light 

 hazel with darker shades, to dark reddish brown with darker 

 blotches. Thus the dark or oblique marks on segment 12, 

 ending in the notches or tubercles, are really the anal termina- 

 tions of the sub-dorsal dark stripes, and the pale marks above 

 and on the claspers of segment 10 are really the terminations 

 of the broad, yellowish (but blotched with reddish, &c, and so 

 interrupted) mid-side stripe. Of course there is always the 

 faint dorsal stripe, which is usually lost in the dark dorsal areas 

 of segments 6, 7, 8, and sometimes 9. (See Entom. xxx. 140). 

 The palest larvae, taking them as a whole, were the Somerset 

 crepuscularia {bistortata) ; the darkest, those of Delamere Forest 

 (biundularia) . A scarce form of the latter is as black as ink, 

 except in the ever-present pale (in this case whitish) blotch above 

 and upon the claspers of segment 10. I put six of these in a pot 

 by themselves, to see if the resultant moths turn out to be the 

 black variety taken by Mr. Hargreaves in March, 1896 (Entom. 

 xxix. 216; xxx. 142). If so, I hope to propagate the breed. 



Some time ago I was showing my collection to a veteran 

 entomologist who, I know, will read these remarks. We came 

 to these Tephrosias, and he asked, "Do you believe they are 

 distinct species?" "Of course," said I; "don't So-and-so, 

 and So-and-so, and So-and-So believe it!" " Well, then," he 

 asked, " what are the points of difference ? " Whereupon I ran 

 out a formula, which I will not quote, as I now believe there was 

 nothing in it. It was a formula inherited, but, among the many 

 things entomological, never examined. Never shall I forget the 

 veteran as he politely observed, " I am sure I ought to be 

 obliged for all this information ! " So I determined to make up 

 my own mind upon the Tephrosia question, and I have done so. 

 Whether the moths be ochreous, black, or " bone- white " in 

 general colour, whether they be faintly marked or banded, to 



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