294 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS. 



Variation of Callimorpha dominula, Linn. — The most widely dis- 

 tributed, and perhaps the best known aberrant form of this species 

 is var. rossica, Kolenati. This only differs from the type in having 

 the hind wings yellow instead of scarlet. It occurs occasionally in 

 almost all localities where the type is found ; Mr. Sabine obtained two 

 specimens of it from Dover this year. 



Var. persona, Hiibn., is, so far as I know, only found in Southern 

 Europe ; the hind wings are black, with an irregular and interrupted 

 yellow patch at the base, and one, sometimes two, small yellow spots 

 beyond this patch ; the spots on fore wings are much smaller than in 

 the type. Var. italica, Standfuss, has the spots on fore wings very 

 little larger than those of var. peisona, and the yellow markings on 

 hind wings are more extensive. In both these forms the abdomen is 

 black ; the thorax of ^je/so?ia is black also, and without, or with very 

 faint traces of, yellow marking. 



In var. bithynica, Staud., all the spots on fore wings are yellow, but 

 it does not differ materially in any other respect from the type. Var. 

 hamelensis, Pfliim., has all the spots on fore wings white. 



Of these named varieties, rossica is the only one known to me to 

 occur in England, but Kent is noted for the production of a melanic 

 form. I have only seen one English example of this aberration, but 

 Mr. Leech has a tine specimen of it in his collection, together with 

 one or more examples of the other named forms. This specimen, 

 which is labelled "Berlin," has the fore wings pretty much of the 

 typical colour, but the spots are black, and only noticeable when the 

 specimen is viewed in a certain way ; the hind wings are also black, 

 with the typical markings showing in certain lights ; thorax colour of 

 fore wings, abdomen black ; under surface uniformly rusty black. 



It has been stated that black specimens of C. dominula are patho- 

 logical aberrations, and have no scientific value. To my mind the 

 melanic form described above is quite as important from a scientific 

 point of view as the other varieties of the species. As regards rossica, 

 persona, italica, and the black form, I consider that they represent 

 stages in the development of C. dominula, and that the black form is 

 probably the most ancient. 



I may mention that a remarkable aberration of the species, quite 

 unlike any of those previously referred to in these notes, is figured in 

 the 'Entomologist' for 1883 (xvi. p. 1), and I should add that I have 

 not seen vars. lusitanlca, bieli, and romanovi. — Richard South ; 100, 

 Ritherdon Road, Upper Tooting, S.W. 



Aberration of Pieris rap^. — Mr. Sabine, of Erith, has been good 

 enough to send for inspection some interesting varieties of certain 

 species of Lepidoptera that he obtained this season. Among these are 

 two female specimens of P. rapes, each of which has a small black spot 

 on hind wings, placed between veins 3 and 4. In one example the 

 costal spot of hind wing is much larger than usual, and the apical 

 patch of fore wing extends, almost without interruption, to vein 4. 

 They were taken by Mr. Sabine at Folkestone in September, and were 

 the only examples of the species that he netted. 



