60 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



1 



3rd. The egg is apparently even more highly polished and 

 brightly orange-tinted than typical dilutata, instead of much less 

 so, as in autumnata. 



4th. The larva often has reddish dorsal blotches. 



Unfortunately neither of us has yet succeeded in breeding 

 this form right through, though fertile ova have been obtained ; 

 at one time I fancied it might be a distinct species. As stated 

 in the 'Entomologist's Eecord' {loc. cit.), Doubleday was also 

 puzzled by the resemblance of " christyi " io (luencata , for he has 

 left specimens of it in his collection labelled " autumnata V (i. e. 

 autumnata, Gn. ?). 



Ab. christyi also has a remarkably small central spot— often 

 practically obsolete ; whereas the normal Scotch dilutata (figs. 

 9 and 10) has the central spot well developed, in the female 

 often opened out into a small ring (as in the ab. iiiscriptata of 

 Donovan). 



Plate II. fig. 11 was bred from Glasgow, and shows the true 

 ab. obscurata of Staudinger. Fig. 14 is even more extreme, and 

 is my ab. melana (Ent. Eec. xi. p. 122) ; it was bred from a 

 Chingford larva. 



Plate II. fig. 12 is a handsome female, which I believe came 

 from Wheeler's collection, and represents the form which I call 

 "carpet banded" (ab. latifasciata, mihi). The remaining figure 

 (fig. 13) is interesting as having been bred from Chingford, 

 where these pale forms are of extremely rare occurrence ; it may 

 be profitably used for comparison with the equally pale ab. 

 christyi (Plate II. fig. 8), and with the pale type of autumnata 

 (Plate I. fig. 3), from both of which it differs materially, though 

 perhaps the actual specimens need to be seen in order that the 

 differences in tone may be fully realized. 



In conclusion, I should like to urge our entomologists, 

 especially those residing in the north, to make a careful study of 

 this fascinating genus ; and to say how pleased I shall be to de- 

 termine their specimens, or render any assistance in my power. 



Explanation of Plates. 



Plate I. 



a, $ abnormity (bred 1898). 

 Bkh., type, ^ J (1897, 1898). 

 ab. sandbergi, ^ $ (bred 1899). 

 ab. (? (1897). 

 varied forms (bred 1899). 

 ab. typica, ? (1898). 

 ab. obscurata, J (bred 1899). 

 other dark aberrations, ^ 5 (bred 1899, 1898). 



